Pinnacle of the Great Era #1-100
Author: 荒野悲歌
Date: 2025-06-21T19:01:51+00:00

Chapter 1: Conflicts in a Prominent Family

“Bang!”

A large, rough hand, calloused and weathered, slammed heavily onto the leather sofa.

An admission letter lay there.

Two lines of striking large characters were printed on the letter: “Student Zhou Buqi, having passed the National College Entrance Examination, you have been admitted to the Business Administration program at the School of Economics and Management, Yanjing University of Science and Technology. Please report to the university between August 29th and August 30th, 2004.”

Yanjing University of Science and Technology was undoubtedly one of the top universities in the country, yet it had provoked strong dissatisfaction from the entire Zhou family of Wanchao Group in Spring City, Northeast China.

The person sitting on the study sofa, erupting in fury, was none other than Zhou Buqi’s grandfather, Zhou Guangshan, Chairman of Wanchao Group and head of the Zhou family.

Four men surrounded Zhou Guangshan.

His eldest son, Zhou Jianguo, and Zhou Jianguo’s son, Zhou Bubi.

His second son, Zhou Jianjun, and Zhou Jianjun’s son, Zhou Buqi.

Zhou Guangshan, over sixty years old, was an old-fashioned, stubborn man who strictly forbade women from participating in family meetings, believing they brought bad luck. Pointing at Zhou Buqi, he roared, “All these years of teaching you have been for naught!”

At his furious shout, Zhou Jianjun’s face turned pale with fright. He stood trembling beside his son, wishing he could just beat him to death. But in front of the old man, he didn’t dare to move even a little finger.

Zhou Buqi, however, was different. His back was ramrod straight, his head slightly bowed, his expression calm and devoid of shame, with an unconcealable resolve in the corners of his eyes.

For him, this was a hurdle he had to clear, a step he had to take.

This was the only way he had found to escape this cage-like, feudal family since his rebirth two months ago!

That’s right, he was a rich second-generation.

Wanchao Group had assets approaching two hundred million yuan, making it a well-known private enterprise in Spring City. His grandfather, Zhou Guangshan, was also extremely resourceful, having built up extensive connections over years of operation, giving him significant influence across various sectors in Northeast China.

However, Zhou Buqi knew that Wanchao Group’s current prosperity was merely a blaze of glory, a final, fleeting moment of splendor.

Wanchao Group operated in the foreign trade industry, primarily acquiring wild goods like matsutake mushrooms, wood ear fungus, pine nuts, and other mushrooms from the mountains, then exporting them to Korea, Japan, Europe, and America. Due to extremely low acquisition prices, high offers from foreign buyers, and subsidies from export tax rebate policies, their gross profit margin exceeded 80%, allowing them to make huge profits.

But this glory was short-lived. With the transfer of an old leader Zhou Guangshan was well-acquainted with, he lost his biggest backer. Furthermore, as the foreign trade industry boomed after the country joined the WTO, competitors multiplied, and Wanchao Group’s situation worsened day by day.

Zhou Guangshan had suffered severe injuries in his youth, damaging his kidneys, and his health had always been poor. The sharp decline in the company’s performance accelerated his demise.

He had two sons, Zhou Jianguo and Zhou Jianjun. Zhou Jianjun was quite incompetent, still indulging in hedonism and idleness in his forties. The authority of Wanchao Group naturally fell to his eldest son, Zhou Jianguo.

Zhou Jianguo was a ruthless man, intending to take sole control of Wanchao Group and drive out Zhou Jianjun’s family.

In such a family, there was no brotherly affection to speak of. Moreover, due to the circumstances of the era, the two brothers only met for the first time in their teens. How could there be any familial bond?

Thus, Zhou Jianguo gradually eroded Zhou Jianjun’s shares in the group. Just as he was about to completely remove Zhou Jianjun, an accident occurred.

Because Wanchao Group’s foreign trade business was deteriorating, Zhou Jianguo, after taking power, changed the group’s operational direction. He targeted the booming real estate market, utilizing the network of connections left by the old man to acquire a piece of land at a lower price, intending to build a trade building. The cumulative loans taken out exceeded one hundred million yuan.

However, due to lax supervision, a fire broke out during construction, destroying a large amount of property and killing two construction workers, shocking the entire province!

The immense negative publicity and economic losses rendered the old man’s remaining connections useless, plunging Wanchao Group into bankruptcy.

At this point, Zhou Jianguo thought of his own younger brother, Zhou Jianjun.

Confused and unwitting, Zhou Jianjun signed a contract, becoming the legal representative and sole shareholder of Wanchao Group.

During bankruptcy liquidation, Zhou Jianjun was saddled with enormous debts.

It was only when the banks, courts, and public security organs came knocking that Zhou Jianjun finally understood what had happened.

The final outcome was Zhou Jianjun committing suicide by jumping from a building.

It could be said that Zhou Jianjun’s family met a tragic end in his previous life, so tragic that Zhou Buqi’s mother, Lou Fangfei, had to return to her maiden home and set up a street stall just to make ends meet.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi proved to be capable. As he grew older and gained more experience in society, he gradually discovered the tricks of business and slowly built his own career. However, by that time, his mother, Lou Fangfei, was already in the late stages of liver cancer.

At his mother’s funeral, a grief-stricken Zhou Buqi drank endlessly, but even alcohol couldn’t numb the pain of his difficult life.

Until he drank himself to death, until he was reborn.

Zhou Buqi had been reborn, and he would absolutely not allow the family tragedy of his previous life to happen again.

For the past two months, he had studied diligently and taken the college entrance examination.

Then, instead of following his family’s wishes to apply to a local university, he set his sights on the capital.

In his previous life, he had attended Jilin University and returned home after graduation to “take over,” but the result was… Of course, even if Zhou Buqi were to attend Jilin University again in this new life, he would still have the confidence to turn around Wanchao Group’s future.

But what good would that do?

Would he be confined to the Northeast for this entire life?

One shouldn’t invest outside Shanhaiguan Pass!

Wanchao Group had some reputation in Spring City, but nationally, it was nothing. The foreign trade business of wild goods had even less future.

Moreover, the Zhou family was a feudal, patriarchal clan. The family head, Zhou Guangshan, controlled everything; his words were the Zhou family’s imperial decree. He was also rigid in his thinking, stubborn, and self-opinionated, blindly doting on and cultivating his eldest son, Zhou Jianguo.

Trying to change such an old stubborn man was truly an uphill battle.

With such time and energy, Zhou Buqi would have long ago established a vast empire outside, a business many times larger than Wanchao Group.

Entering the capital under the guise of attending university was his best option to escape this cage-like family!

As for Wanchao Group… Zhou Buqi didn’t care for it!

Zhou Jianguo was quite pleased with Zhou Jianjun’s timid and submissive demeanor, but Zhou Buqi’s calm composure, however, displeased him.

“The old man is furious, and you, young man, show no remorse at all. What are you doing? Trying to rebel?”

However, as the successor, he had to show concern as an elder in front of the old man. So, with a pained expression, he said, disappointed that Zhou Buqi wasn’t living up to his potential, “Buqi, how many times has your Eldest Uncle told you? Family! Family! Family is the most important! You’ve always had good grades since you were young, unlike your elder brother, who only got around seventy points on the college entrance exam…”

“Dad, why are you bringing that up?” Zhou Bubi immediately became displeased. “My score was low, but I’m not an ungrateful wretch. I eat and drink from the family, so I definitely put family interests first. Didn’t I come out to help Grandpa manage the company when I was in college?”

Zhou Guangshan’s expression softened slightly. “Bubi did well.”

Zhou Bubi was instantly overjoyed, his eyes subtly glancing at Zhou Buqi, a faint hint of disdain and mockery appearing at the corner of his mouth.

What’s the use of being good at studying?

In front of the old man, who do you think you are?

Yanjing University of Science and Technology?

That’s hilarious!

Are there few university-educated employees in Wanchao Group? There are even those from Tsinghua and Peking University, don’t they also have to work obediently? You have a good background and don’t know how to use it properly, so why bother going to a science and technology university? Have you studied so much that your brain turned to mush?

What a blockhead!

Zhou Jianguo also felt proud of his son, especially when compared to Zhou Buqi; his son was simply outstanding. He felt pleased inside but couldn’t show it on his face, so he sternly shouted, “Get over there! Is it your place to speak?”

Zhou Bubi immediately scurried to the side and stood obediently.

Zhou Guangshan’s health was deteriorating year by year; he had to stay in the hospital for at least three months out of the year. He was also a bit muddled in his old age, so he found Zhou Bubi’s submissive demeanor to be very well-mannered and virtuous.

As for Zhou Buqi… he probably took after his father, Zhou Jianjun, that useless coward; he wouldn’t amount to much.

However, he was still his biological grandson, so Zhou Guangshan couldn’t bear to just give up on him.

Sighing deeply, Zhou Guangshan waved his hand and said, “Fine, you’ve applied, you’ve applied. My old face still has some use; I can speak for you in the province. You can just go report to Jilin University later. Anyway, you passed Jilin University’s admission score.”

Zhou Jianguo’s heart sank slightly.

For him, the further Zhou Buqi rolled away, the better. If Zhou Buqi really went to Jilin University with the Zhou family’s support, he might actually manage to achieve something remarkable.

After all, Zhou Bubi had only attended Spring City Engineering Institute for his university studies.

However, Zhou Jianguo was excellent at putting on a show. He said with a smile, “If the old man is willing to step forward, then there’s certainly no problem. It’s good for Buqi to go to Jilin University. Our old Zhou family can also produce a key university student, and we’ll have face when we mention it on various occasions.”

At this moment, how much Zhou Buqi wished his father would stand up and say something!

The Zhou family had strict rules; children were not allowed to speak without an adult’s permission.

However, looking at Zhou Jianjun’s timid, useless demeanor, let alone speaking up, he probably wouldn’t even dare to fart. He was completely unreliable.

There was no other way. Zhou Buqi could only rush to the front line and face the gunfire directly. He said loudly, “Grandpa, I’m not going to Jilin University!”

“Hm?”

Zhou Guangshan was first stunned for a moment, not reacting immediately.

Was he being contradicted?

In the Zhou family, someone actually dared to contradict him?

This was courting death!

Immediately, his cloudy, weathered eyes widened sharply, radiating an intimidating aura without needing to show anger. “What did you say?”

Zhou Buqi took a deep breath and said, “Grandpa, I’m not going to Jilin University. I want to go to the University of Science and Technology.”

“You…”

Zhou Guangshan stretched out his finger, pointing at Zhou Buqi, as if he wanted to utterly destroy this rebellious grandson. He roared, “Zhou Jianjun!”

“Huh?”

Zhou Jianjun looked up blankly, a little bewildered. “Dad, did you call me?”

Zhou Guangshan was almost choked with anger. He directly threw the ‘old man’s joy’ stick beside him, hitting Zhou Jianjun on the head. He sternly said, “Which wild woman are you thinking about now? Look at the good son you’ve raised!”

Zhou Jianjun’s forehead stung painfully, but he dared not cry out. He carefully raised his eyes, quickly glanced at the old man, then quickly lowered them again, muttering, “I… I… I said back then, don’t call him Buqi, don’t call him Buqi. Isn’t this just proving that he’s growing up to be useless? See? It came true, didn’t it?”

Zhou Buqi immediately covered his face.

Others might screw over their fathers, but you’re screwing over your son!

The old man gave you a chance to speak, and what do you do? Not only do you not help smooth things over, you add fuel to the fire. Don’t you know that both ‘Zhou Bubi’ and ‘Zhou Buqi’ were names given by the old man?

Never mind, never mind. It’s better to rely on oneself than others.

I’ll just do it myself!

Chapter 2: The Noble Man Is Not a Vessel

Zhou Buqi coughed lightly, neither too loud nor too soft, and said solemnly, “Dad, you’re mistaken. The Analects say, ‘The noble man is not a vessel.’ That which is above forms is called the Way; that which is within forms is called a vessel. The two characters ‘Buqi’ (not a vessel) show that Grandpa has high hopes for me, wishing me to abandon the vessel and seek the Way, to cultivate myself, regulate my family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.”

This was born from experience.

Such grand, empty, yet beautiful words might seem useless, but they are actually very effective.

It’s like a massage.

A massage won’t make you live longer or healthier, but it makes you feel comfortable, doesn’t it?

The essence of rhetoric is just like a massage.

Zhou Guangshan prided himself on his literary accomplishments. He had written novels during the Scar Literature period and poetry when poetry was popular. After he became wealthy, he even published a collection of poems and is now even nominally the vice-chairman of the municipal Writers Association.

Of course, from a professional perspective, this was merely a parvenu’s attempt to feign elegance and gain a reputation.

When his two sons were born, due to the era, their names were quite common: one was called Jianguo, and the other Jianjun. However, when his grandsons were born, the times had changed, and the old man’s artistic talent had room to flourish.

There were three members in the Zhou family’s third generation: Zhou Bubi, Zhou Buqi, and their younger sister Zhou Nan. All were named personally by the old man. The first two names were taken from The Analects, while Zhou Nan’s name came from The Classic of Poetry.

Sure enough, these words hit Zhou Guangshan’s sweet spot. His expression froze for a moment, and his face softened slightly.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Jianjun didn’t grasp his meaning at all. He thought his son was lecturing his father and immediately flew into a rage, raising his foot to kick. “The Analects, my foot! I’ll teach you to act all disoriented and out of sorts with me every day…”

Before he could kick, the old man, Zhou Guangshan, exploded in anger and roared, “Zhou Jianjun, get out!”

Zhou Jianjun looked as if he had been granted a great pardon and bolted out of the study with his head down.

Zhou Jianguo didn’t even glance at his useless younger brother. His gaze fixed on Zhou Buqi, and he suddenly chuckled, “It seems Buqi inherited your grandfather’s literary genes. So tell me, where did your elder brother’s name come from?”

Zhou Buqi replied, “The noble man is all-embracing and not partisan; the petty man is partisan and not all-embracing. It’s also from The Analects. I’d guess… Grandpa hopes that Elder Brother can take care of his younger siblings without distinction.”

These words subtly criticized Zhou Bubi.

Because his actions simply didn’t live up to his name.

However, Zhou Bubi was uneducated and didn’t quite understand. He suddenly realized and muttered to himself, “So it was something Confucius said. Now when they mock my name, I’ll have something to say.”

Zhou Guangshan frowned slightly, a look of displeasure on his face.

Zhou Jianguo was instantly enraged.

You idiot, are you trying to make Grandpa dislike me?

Fortunately, he was experienced and immediately shifted the focus, smiling, “Buqi, your uncle sees that you have a great talent for literature. Why don’t you study literature at Jilin University? You could fulfill your grandfather’s youthful dream. Maybe our family could even produce a literary figure in the future.”

Zhou Guangshan was indeed moved, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhou Buqi sighed.

This old man’s desire for control was too strong. Yes, I’m your grandson, but I’m not your substitute. What I want is to stand at the pinnacle of this era and look down upon the world!

This small temple that is the Zhou family cannot contain me, Zhou Buqi!

“Grandpa, I want to go to Beijing University of Science and Technology!”

“Presumptuous!”

Zhou Jianguo became stern.

Zhou Guangshan, however, waved his hand, his initial anger gone. His old face, covered in liver spots, became calm, and he said absently, “What’s your reason?”

Zhou Buqi was overjoyed and said softly, “A bird that never flies out of its nest will always be a fledgling. I’ve grown up, and I want to see the world outside.”

Wasn’t this a veiled accusation?

Zhou Jianguo was a little angry, but it wasn’t appropriate for him to oppress his nephew as an elder. He glared fiercely at his son, only to find that Zhou Bubi hadn’t understood anything at all, looking like he was watching a show.

Zhou Guangshan’s lips curved into a smile, “Your wings are strong now?”

Zhou Buqi said, “I want to try.”

Zhou Guangshan narrowed his eyes, staring intently at him. His cloudy eyes seemed to penetrate all mist and fog, seeing into his heart.

Zhou Buqi did not flinch, meeting his gaze.

After a long while, Zhou Guangshan shook his head with a chuckle and turned to Zhou Jianguo, “You two can go out first.”

“Father!”

Zhou Jianguo immediately became anxious.

What was happening?

The old man was going to talk to that brat alone? Wasn’t this supposed to be a unanimous condemnation at a family meeting? How did it turn out like this?

Zhou Guangshan’s face darkened, “Get out!”

Zhou Jianguo gritted his teeth, gave Zhou Buqi a deep look, and left with his son.

Inside the study, only Zhou Guangshan and Zhou Buqi remained.

“Sit.”

Zhou Guangshan pointed to the sofa beside him.

Zhou Buqi didn’t stand on ceremony and sat down casually.

It’s just a cross-examination!

He didn’t believe that with his experience from two lives, he couldn’t handle the old man.

However, he didn’t expect Zhou Guangshan to have no intention of making things difficult for him. His gaze was distant as he said, “A bird’s nest has its advantages; at least it’s safe, and you’re well-fed and clothed. If you fly out, who knows if you’ll encounter wind and rain, or eagles and beasts? Grandpa is old; I don’t want you to be like me when I was young. That was a struggle for survival!”

Zhou Buqi immediately understood the old man’s deeper meaning and was very surprised.

Was this why the old man so forcefully “bound” his descendants to his side? Afraid that his descendants would suffer? Was this true?

Could it be that he had read too much of Zizhi Tongjian and was applying imperial statecraft to the family business?

Zhou Buqi tentatively said, “Grandpa, the times are different now. The country is getting better and better.”

Zhou Guangshan said, “Staying at home has its benefits. Even if you become useless, it’s better than being ambitious and causing trouble outside. Someone like your father, as long as he’s in Spring City and restrained, won’t make big mistakes, and the Zhou family can protect him.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Grandpa, no matter how big the Zhou family is, it can’t withstand simply living off its past wealth.”

Zhou Guangshan waved his hand and shook his head, “Your elder brother has good capabilities. Wanchao Group will only get better under him, and your family’s dividends will only increase.”

Zhou Buqi pouted, thinking, precisely because you want to hand the group over to Elder Brother, I need to leave even more.

“If someone is capable, they’ll succeed whether they stay at home or go out. If they’re not capable, they’re useless no matter where they are.” Zhou Guangshan saw his disapproval and slightly deepened his tone.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Good timber doesn’t grow in a greenhouse; good timber grows wild.”

Zhou Guangshan was stunned for a moment, then laughed, pointing a finger at him, “Who taught you that, kid? You’re sharp-tongued.”

Zhou Buqi grinned and said, “Grandpa, so you agree?”

“Your wings are strong now, so fly if you want to,” Zhou Guangshan waved his hand, huffing.

Zhou Buqi was overjoyed. He suddenly stood up, bowed deeply, “Thank you, Grandpa!”

Zhou Guangshan picked up the admission letter from the sofa, handed it over, and said earnestly, “If you can’t fly anymore, come back quickly. If you fall flat on your face out there, it’ll be hard to come home.”

Zhou Buqi took the admission letter and nodded heavily, “Yes, I understand.”

But in his heart, he was deeply unconvinced.

Can’t fly anymore? How is that possible?

Even if he had to retreat ten thousand steps, even if he really couldn’t fly anymore, he couldn’t come back. There would still be a way out outside, but coming back would mean waiting to be tormented by his uncle’s family.

Not only could he not come back, but he also had to find a way to bring his parents with him.

After Zhou Buqi left, Zhou Guangshan remained seated in the study for a long time. He skillfully rolled a stick of hand-rolled tobacco, his eyes narrowed to slits, staring at the doorway.

That was the direction Zhou Buqi had left.

Soon, the hand-rolled tobacco lit up, and its pungent smoke filled the entire study.

Under the purple smoke, Zhou Guangshan’s expression became even more profound. He pondered silently, seemingly lost in thought.

…

“Brother! Are you really going to the capital for university?”

A delicate girl of thirteen or fourteen suddenly pushed open the door, her small face excitedly shouting.

She was Zhou Buqi’s younger sister, Zhou Nan.

To be precise, she was Zhou Buqi’s half-sister.

Her mother, Liu Xiuhui, was Zhou Jianjun’s concubine, without a marriage certificate or formal status. Prominent families, especially those of parvenus, were never clean. Not to mention Zhou Jianjun, even Zhou Jianguo and his son kept many women outside.

The difference was that Liu Xiuhui had been accepted into the family and gained Zhou Guangshan’s recognition, even bearing a daughter for the Zhou family. She and Zhou Buqi’s mother, Lou Fangfei, also got along very well and never had conflicts.

In fact, there was no point of conflict. Competing for favor? Zhou Jianjun was messing around outside every day and rarely came home at night. As for money, there was even less to say; it was all distributed by the old man according to family rules, and no one dared to object.

Especially in recent years, as both the first and second wives grew older and lost their appeal to Zhou Jianjun, the two of them discussed it and simply moved in together.

Normally, Zhou Buqi called Liu Xiuhui “Aunt Liu” and treated her with great respect.

He also treated Zhou Nan, his sister, like his own flesh and blood.

“Yes,” Zhou Buqi put down his pen and turned to smile at her.

Zhou Nan cheered, “Wow, Brother, you’re amazing!”

“When you take your college entrance exam, you should also go study out of town.”

“Ah? I… I can’t…”

“Don’t worry, it’s still a few years away. I’ll arrange it for you then.”

“Can… can I?”

Zhou Nan blinked her large eyes, revealing a faint expectation.

Zhou Buqi stroked her hair and chuckled, “Of course you can. You’re only in eighth grade now. Four years from now… I’ll be the one calling the shots!”

“Boaster!”

Zhou Nan rolled her eyes dramatically and snorted lightly. Her gaze then fell on the desk, “Brother, what are you writing? Business plan… Wow! Brother, are you going to start a business?”

“Shhh!”

Zhou Buqi made a silencing gesture, “Lower your voice, don’t blab.”

Zhou Nan, however, was excitedly jumping, “Brother, are you going to start a business? In the capital?”

“Of course.” Zhou Buqi patted his chest, “What kind of man just lives off his parents every day? I’m going away for university to establish my career and build my empire.”

“Brother, you’re so amazing!”

The young girl’s eyes were filled with admiration. Then she pouted and said disdainfully, “Zhou Bubi just lives off his parents every day. My mom said that Uncle is going to promote him to manager of the procurement department.”

As a young lady from a prominent family, she was far more mature than her peers and knew that her elder brother, Zhou Bubi, wasn’t good to her.

Zhou Buqi warned, “Nannan, I’m going to the capital for university. You need to be sensible at home, especially in front of Elder Brother. Don’t let anything slip, or you’ll be in trouble.”

Zhou Nan giggled, “Don’t worry, he’s like a big idiot. Every time I say Elder Brother is amazing, he gets all giddy with happiness. He even gave me one thousand yuan yesterday!”

Zhou Buqi’s heart sank slightly.

Zhou Bubi’s private life was chaotic, and his expenses were even greater, requiring him to constantly take money from the family to maintain it. The fact that he would give Zhou Nan pocket money could only mean that his position as procurement department manager was secure, and he was feeling smug.

It seemed that with his own “rise,” Zhou Jianguo’s speed in seizing control of Wanchao Group had also accelerated.

Chapter 3: Even a Cowardly Dad Has His Tender Moments

“Oh, right, this is for you.”

Zhou Nan secretly pulled a card from her pants pocket and slipped it under Zhou Buqi’s manuscript paper.

“What’s this for?” Zhou Buqi repeatedly declined.

Zhou Nan lowered her voice, speaking sullenly, “Mom said your account was frozen. When you study in The Capital, including tuition, accommodation, and food, it’s only ten thousand yuan a year. Grandpa is too stingy.”

A bird that has taken flight can’t keep relying on its family, can it?

So, the old man’s attitude was firm: ten thousand yuan a year. If he could survive, he would; if not, he could transfer back to Jilin University.

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, pointing at the bank card on the table, “Is this your pocket money?”

Zhou Nan softly hummed in affirmation, then said proudly, “It’s one hundred fifty thousand! I saved it all. It’s for you, for school.”

“All of it?” Zhou Buqi felt a pang of emotion.

Zhou Nan nodded, “Yes, that’s all of it.”

As family members, everyone received dividends. Students like Zhou Buqi received ten thousand yuan a month, while those who had graduated and were working, like Zhou Bubi, received fifty thousand a month. Even underage girls like Zhou Nan received five thousand yuan a month in dividends.

However, the little girl didn’t have a habit of spending money carelessly; she saved it all. Seeing her brother in difficulty, she generously offered it.

Zhou Buqi felt a warmth in his heart. He ruffled her hair and chuckled, “Brother doesn’t need it. This is your money; you keep it. When you turn eighteen, you can buy a sports car.”

Mainly, he didn’t really care for it; he didn’t see much difference between ten thousand and one hundred fifty thousand. After living two lives, if he still had to live off his parents and rely on his family, that would truly be pathetic.

Zhou Nan pouted, “No, I want you to have it! Grandpa is too stingy. You’re a university student now; what can ten thousand yuan do? It’s not even enough for dating… Ouch, that hurt!”

Zhou Buqi flicked her forehead, scolding her with a laugh, “Little girl, what do you know? Quickly put it away. Brother really doesn’t need it. Is ten thousand yuan too little? Do you know how many university students across the country go to study in other cities with only a few hundred yuan?”

“Huh?” Zhou Nan’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “A few hundred yuan for university? Brother, are you kidding me?”

Zhou Buqi sighed softly. This was probably a major drawback of being a “wealthy family”—their privileged living environment made them unaware of the hardships of ordinary people.

“It’s true. Half of the university students nationwide receive student loans, poverty grants, or rely on part-time jobs to earn money for their studies. Nan Nan, promise me, don’t stay in Spring City for university. Leave the family and go see the real world.”

“Oh, I see…”

Zhou Nan scratched her head, half-understanding, then still pushed the bank card over. “Aren’t you going to start a business? How can you do that without startup capital? Here!”

Zhou Buqi said, “Nan Nan, I’m very touched that you’re willing to give me all the Lunar New Year’s money and pocket money you’ve saved over the years. But, take this card back. Since I’ve agreed with Grandpa, I won’t break my promise.”

“But…” Zhou Nan’s face crumpled.

“Alright, it’s settled.” Zhou Buqi took the bank card and tucked it into her pants pocket.

“But…”

Zhou Nan hesitated, wanting to say more.

“Hmm?” Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Nan hesitated for a long time before making up her mind, gritting her teeth and saying, “Brother, you’re going to university; you’ll need to find a girlfriend, right? How can you do that without money?”

“Who said you need money to have a girlfriend?”

“Huh?”

Zhou Nan was stunned, then said strangely, “Dad said so. When… when looking for a woman, just use money… use money and it’ll be fine…”

Zhou Buqi instantly exploded in anger. “Don’t listen to his nonsense! Only the lowest quality women are bought with money. Excellent women are… Uh, your main focus now is studying. Don’t let your mind wander.”

Zhou Nan tilted her head, her big eyes blinking, looking at him in surprise. “Brother, the way you just talked about women, it felt… it felt like you have more experience than Dad.”

Zhou Buqi’s old face flushed. He pushed her, “Go, go, go, don’t disturb me writing my business plan! And, don’t tell anyone about my business.”

…

There was still more than a month until school started.

Zhou Buqi’s choice was to keep a low profile.

As low a profile as possible.

Preferably, nothing would happen, and he would pass this period smoothly until he went to The Capital for his studies, where the sky was vast, allowing birds to fly freely.

He even declined all high school class reunions and university entrance banquets, staying cooped up alone in his room from beginning to end, reading books and newspapers, surfing the internet, and writing reports.

It was 2004, and he had a general understanding of the current domestic situation. With the signing of the WTO terms, the domestic consumer market was severely impacted. Many national brands were acquired by foreign companies, and foreign capital became the trendsetter in the domestic market.

The stock market entered a major bear market.

The three internet giants, BAT, had already taken off. It was no longer possible to reach the pinnacle of the era by simply hitching a ride with them.

In other words, Zhou Buqi was not qualified to approach BAT in the short term. By the time he succeeded in his venture and became qualified, BAT would have already rocketed into the sky and reigned supreme.

By then, even if he tried to join them, let alone being a big shot, he wouldn’t even have a chance to be a partner; he’d only be a subordinate.

Zhou Buqi, having returned to this life, certainly wouldn’t want that.

Sigh, the pressure was immense!

A month passed quickly, without any accidents.

On August 27th, the Zhou family had a farewell dinner, and even the married aunts returned.

On August 28th, at Longjia International Airport, Zhou Buqi prepared to board the plane.

That’s right, he was flying to The Capital!

Although his bank card was frozen, he was still a rich second-generation with excellent family conditions. Besides the annual fixed allowance of ten thousand yuan, his family also provided him with a mobile phone, a laptop, an iPod, and an expensive Chopard brand watch. They would also reimburse his round-trip airfare for school and home visits.

Zhou Buqi was in first class, so there was no need to rush to queue. He just said his final goodbyes to his parents, Aunt Liu, and his sister.

His mother, Lou Fangfei, had red eyes, and his sister, Zhou Nan, was crying profusely.

It was as if he wasn’t going to school, but to an execution ground.

To Zhou Buqi’s surprise, even his Cowardly Dad, Zhou Jianjun, had a hint of faint sorrow on his face.

This made his heart feel incredibly warm.

No matter how useless his dad was, he was still his biological father!

When the boarding announcement sounded, Zhou Jianjun furtively pulled Zhou Buqi aside and handed him the briefcase he was carrying, saying grandly, “This is what Dad prepared for you, for school. Take it!”

Zhou Buqi was so moved that tears almost welled up.

Had the sun risen from the west?

Had his Cowardly Dad changed his ways?

“No, no, no, Grandpa and I have already agreed, I’ll only take ten thousand…” Zhou Buqi thought there was cash hidden inside. After all, bank cards were issued by the old man and could be monitored at any time, whereas cash wouldn’t be discovered.

Zhou Jianjun interrupted, “Don’t worry, it’s not money. Would I go against the old man’s words?”

“Then what is it?”

“Good stuff.”

“What is it? Contraband can’t pass security.”

“Don’t worry, no problem.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t quite trust his unreliable dad, but he still opened the briefcase to check, and his face turned green.

Zhou Jianjun was very proud, calmly and confidently instructing, “No matter how much a brat grows up, he’s still your dad’s seed. You’ll always need to find women outside, right? This should be enough. Heh heh, just a few days ago, he was still running around naked, and in a blink of an eye, he’s off to university.”

Zhou Buqi was about to go crazy.

It was a whole bag of Durex!

If I need them, can’t I buy them myself? Do I need you to bring them for me?

Huh? Wait!

Zhou Buqi keenly noticed something and pulled out a box of Durex from the briefcase. “What’s going on with this? It’s opened?”

Zhou Jianjun was stunned for a moment, then slapped his forehead and said carelessly, “Oh, that one? I bought it a few days ago. The size was too big and it slipped off. It’d be a waste to throw it away, so you can use it.”

Zhou Buqi staggered, almost falling.

This too?

His dad was truly a piece of work!

Zhou Jianjun shook his head, laughing smugly, and then, as an experienced man, he advised, “Son, as for women… while you’re young, sleep with as many as you can, so you don’t regret it when you’re old. Your dad didn’t catch a good era when he was young; now, I’m willing but unable… cough, never mind that. The most important thing is protection! Remember, remember! This is forty-odd years of your dad’s life experience, understand?”

Zhou Buqi wanted to argue, but seeing his dad’s sincere gaze and the sense of pride he gained from “teaching his son,” he couldn’t bear to ruin it.

His Cowardly Dad wasn’t very capable; this was probably the only life experience he could impart to his son.

“Mm, I understand. Thank you, Dad.” Zhou Buqi took a deep breath and showed a smile.

Zhou Jianjun was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting such an attitude from his son. His eyes immediately reddened, and he raised a hand to punch Zhou Buqi’s shoulder, covering up his emotions with a loud laugh. “Go on! Board the plane!”

“Mm, then Dad, take care of yourself.” Zhou Buqi opened his arms and gave him a fierce hug, then walked towards the VIP boarding gate without looking back.

Zhou Jianjun took a long time to come back to his senses, his vision blurred. He felt a warm current flow from his heart, spreading through his limbs and bones.

“Little rascal.”

…

Chapter 4: Chatting Up the Flight Attendant

In the first-class cabin, there were only two passengers.

Besides Zhou Buqi, there was another man in a suit, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He looked refined and scholarly.

He seemed to have recognized Zhou Buqi as a student and didn’t want to interact with such a young, inexperienced person.

Zhou Buqi, meanwhile, squinted, pondering how he could strike up a conversation.

In this era, passengers who could afford first-class were people of status, especially on a short flight from Spring City to the capital. They were either officials or businessmen.

Judging by his appearance, he didn’t seem to be an official, so he must be a businessman.

Zhou Buqi’s biggest goal in going to the capital for university was to start a business. It was the entrepreneurial mecca of northern China. If he could get to know this person and build a good relationship, it might be helpful in the future.

However, if he just started chatting without any reason, it would be too bland. Even if they had a pleasant conversation throughout the journey, they would only be strangers who met once, unable to establish a deeper connection.

Zhou Buqi knew a ton of tricks for hitting on beautiful women. But for striking up a conversation with a man, the most suitable setting was usually at a dinner table with drinks.

It was a bit troublesome.

Just then, the man in the suit and glasses waved his hand, “Flight attendant?”

A beautiful flight attendant in a short skirt uniform, with a hot figure, big eyes, red lips, and skin as white as snow, gracefully walked over. With her hands clasped over her abdomen, she bowed slightly and offered a perfectly sweet smile: “Hello, sir, how may I help you?”

“Uh… cough, cough…”

The man in glasses seemed a bit awkward, his expression unnatural. He forced a smile and said, “Um… I’ve been observing you for a while. Could I… could I get your phone number?”

As soon as he said that, Zhou Buqi almost burst out laughing.

Oh my god!

He ran into a clueless pickup artist!

What kind of bizarre pickup line was that?

Just because you’re in first class makes you special? She’s a first-class flight attendant, she’s seen all kinds of people! It’d be a miracle if she said yes!

Sure enough, he then heard the flight attendant’s polite refusal: “I’m very sorry, sir, but that’s against our regulations. Do you have any other requests?”

The man in glasses’ ears turned a little red, feeling awkward. “No… no, thank you.”

“Alright then, I wish you a pleasant journey.”

The flight attendant showed a standardized beautiful smile, then gracefully turned and left.

Zhou Buqi, who had witnessed the entire scene, suppressed his laughter and only relaxed after more than ten minutes.

The way people hit on girls in this era was truly idiotic; he might as well have just said, ‘I want to sleep with you.’

However, this also gave him an opportunity.

An opportunity to strike up a friendship with the man in glasses.

Zhou Buqi sat casually, without proper posture, and waved his hand. “Waitress… uh, no, flight attendant, beautiful flight attendant… yes, could you come over for a moment?”

The man in glasses next to him frowned, looking displeased.

The flight attendant walked over gracefully and generously, bowed slightly, and asked with a bright smile: “Sir, how may I help you?”

Zhou Buqi mumbled, “Could you open the window? Let some air in, it’s too stuffy.”

“Cough, cough!”

From the other side of the aisle, the man in glasses let out an unusually loud cough.

The beautiful flight attendant also almost couldn’t hold back, the corners of her mouth curving into a wide arc. Luckily, she managed to suppress it, pursing her lips as she said, “I’m sorry, sir, but planes cannot open their windows.”

“Oh, is that so?” Zhou Buqi said, looking completely clueless, frowning in distress. “Then can we stop up ahead? I left something at home, I’ll have my dad bring it to me.”

The man in glasses turned his head, staring at him in astonishment.

Isn’t this kid an idiot?

What kind of irresponsible parent would just leave their foolish son alone on a plane?

The flight attendant was also stunned, not reacting for a moment.

Is this passenger mentally disabled?

If so, she would need to report it to the captain, and the airline would have to provide special services.

“Uh… Sir, the thing is, a plane cannot stop mid-flight. If you’ve left something behind, your family can send it to you via express delivery.” The flight attendant’s service attitude was impeccable, but her gaze towards Zhou Buqi was a bit strange, as if she was scrutinizing and observing him.

If he really was disabled, she would have to report it.

Zhou Buqi became displeased, huffing, “Huh? What’s wrong with you people? This isn’t allowed, that isn’t allowed.”

“Sir, I’m truly sorry, but it’s really not possible…” The flight attendant was almost in tears, wanting to turn back and ask the chief flight attendant for help.

“Alright, alright,” Zhou Buqi said, waving his hand magnanimously. “However, you absolutely must agree to this third request. There’s a limit to how many times I can be refused.”

The flight attendant looked at him weakly. “Sir, what… what is it you’d like?”

“Give me your phone number.”

“Huh?”

The flight attendant froze.

She stared blankly at Zhou Buqi, seeing a mischievous smile playing on the corner of his lips. She immediately let out a giggle, like a peony blooming, utterly dazzling.

How could this be a mentally disabled person?

He was clearly a little rascal full of tricks!

After realizing, the flight attendant covered her mouth and giggled charmingly, squatting down.

Zhou Buqi grinned and winked at her. “Are you going to give it to me or not?”

The flight attendant gave him a charming glance, a smile playing on her lips, a mix of shyness and playful annoyance. She didn’t reply, but turned and went to the counter. A moment later, she returned with a folded piece of paper, bent down to hand it to him, and whispered with a smile close to his ear, “You really know how to tease people. You scared me to death just now.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Your face is like a peach blossom.”

The flight attendant pursed her lips, suppressing her laughter, her eyes sparkling. She playfully rolled her eyes and said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go now. I still have work to do.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “Yes, work is important.”

The flight attendant blinked a few times at him, then swayed her slender waist, taking three steps with each sway, and turned to leave.

The moment she turned away, the warm smile on Zhou Buqi’s face vanished, replaced by a calm, natural expression, and he pursed his lips. He opened the paper the beautiful flight attendant had given him and immediately smiled again.

Whoa! This girl is quite bold!

The name and phone number on it were written in lipstick.

A clear hint.

He looked up again and saw the man in glasses next to him, looking both admiring and shocked.

Zhou Buqi smiled at him, not saying anything.

The man in glasses, however, couldn’t hold back and initiated a conversation: “Buddy, did you get her phone number?”

Zhou Buqi shook the paper in his hand.

The man in glasses took a deep breath and said incredulously, “This… how is this possible?”

“Hm?”

“I mean, why… why did she give it to you?”

The man in glasses stated that his worldview was somewhat shattered.

He was in a suit, in his thirties, polite, and carried himself with an extraordinary demeanor, clearly a successful person. Yet, he failed to get her phone number.

That young, student-like kid, green and naive, even made two absurd and ridiculous requests, acting like a complete idiot. Yet, he actually succeeded in getting the flight attendant’s contact information.

You know, he was only seventeen or eighteen, right? That flight attendant was at least twenty-five or twenty-six. In terms of compatibility, he should have been the more suitable one.

Zhou Buqi explained with a smile, “Actually, once you understand the principle behind it, it’s quite easy.”

“Principle?”

The man in glasses’ eyes widened. Was there a theoretical guide to picking up girls?

Zhou Buqi said, “To gain a woman’s approval, first, you need to be able to stir her emotions. The key point is emotions! Sadness, sympathy, excitement, happiness, fear, panic, nervousness, worry, admiration, even anger—all of these work. As long as you can cause an emotional shift in the other person in a short amount of time, your pickup attempt will basically succeed. Conversely, if the other person maintains a calm, business-like attitude, then you’re out of luck.”

“Is… is that so?” The man in glasses’ mouth hung open, exclaiming in disbelief.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Haven’t you noticed that many men around goddesses are jerks? Some are even street thugs.”

The man in glasses nodded. “It seems… that’s really the case.”

Zhou Buqi said, “That’s because honest men are too honest; they lack a certain special quality that attracts women. Their lifestyle is too monotonous and boring, unable to provide women with continuous emotional stimulation. In contrast, many bad, roguish men, even jerks, often tease girls, or even go as far as to humiliate or scold them, thereby stirring their emotions, which paradoxically becomes a form of charm.”

The man in glasses stood dumbfounded, thinking for a while, then nodded convinced. “It really seems to be the case! Buddy, you’re a university student, right? Psychology major? An expert on love, that’s amazing!”

Zhou Buqi seized the opportunity to introduce himself, extending his right hand. “Nice to meet you, my name is Zhou Buqi, a freshman at Yanjing University of Science and Technology, majoring in Business Administration.”

The man in glasses shook his hand, looking astonished. “A freshman? You don’t seem like it, really. Oh, this is my business card. My name is Fang Qiwen, and I’m from Yanjing.”

Zhou Buqi took the business card and secretly nodded.

He guessed right!

The titles on the business card were impressive: Chairman and General Manager of Yanjing Lejia Beverage Co., Ltd.

Unfortunately, it was a beverage company, which didn’t align with Zhou Buqi’s short-term entrepreneurial plans.

Zhou Buqi secretly sighed, but his face was beaming with enthusiasm as he smiled and said, “So it’s General Manager Fang! A pleasure to meet you!”

“No, no, no, you’re the teacher, I still have to learn from you,” Fang Qiwen waved his hands repeatedly. “I just run a small factory that’s barely staying afloat, please don’t flatter me.”

“Then I’ll call you Brother Fang, haha.” Zhou Buqi chuckled, then his eyebrows danced with excitement. “By the way, Brother Fang, just now… were you interested in that flight attendant?”

Fang Qiwen gave a noncommittal laugh. “She is quite pretty.”

Zhou Buqi then handed over the small slip of paper he had just acquired. “Here, you can have it.”

“For me?”

“Yeah, for you. I’m still a student, I need to focus on my studies. I don’t have the energy or the money for all that nonsense.”

Fang Qiwen just smiled.

He didn’t believe it for a second!

This kid’s pickup skills were so advanced, he was clearly an old hand! “Focus on studies,” who are you trying to fool? He probably just wasn’t interested in a glamorous-looking flight attendant like her and wanted to flirt with pure and fresh female university students instead.

Fang Qiwen, however, didn’t care. He was already in the working world, and his tastes weren’t that picky anymore. Anyway, he wasn’t looking to get married; pretty was enough.

Chapter 5: The Business Opportunity for the First Pot of Gold

Fang Qiwen was in an excellent mood, and his conversation with Zhou Buqi became increasingly congenial.

Through their chat, Zhou Buqi learned that Fang Qiwen’s factory was established three years ago, specializing in the production, marketing, and sales of bottled beverages. However, its efficiency had always been poor; let alone expanding nationwide, it struggled to even cover the Yanjing area.

Because Wahaha Purified Water had swept the nation in the past few years, selling and earning massively, Fang Qiwen had set his sights on the drinking water market.

Since the purified water market was almost monopolized by Wahaha and Robust, Fang Qiwen sought another path, planning to go the mineral water route.

His trip to the Northeast this time was specifically to inspect mineral water sources in Changbai Mountain.

The results, however, were not ideal.

The spots in Changbai Mountain with the best water quality and highest extraction efficiency were already occupied.

Fang Qiwen was left with only two options: go to a place with poorer water quality or extract deep-layer water.

Poor water quality was definitely not an option; it had no future.

As for deep-layer water… the water quality was excellent, even better than several other sources, almost the best mineral water in the entire country.

However, the cost was too high, and the efficiency too low!

Extracting water from deep-layer sources required extremely complex processes and large-scale investment, which Fang Qiwen’s small beverage factory couldn’t afford.

“Actually, there are two other options. If the government isn’t feasible, you could lease from other businesses or become their downstream partner,” Zhou Buqi, aware of the mineral water market’s prospects, offered his insights.

Fang Qiwen looked at him in surprise. “You know about business too?”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “It’s just armchair theorizing. I’m planning to start a business after I go to university this time.”

Fang Qiwen nodded. “Alright, let me know if you need any help.”

“Not for now.”

“Hmm. I’ve considered both options you mentioned, but they won’t work.”

“Oh?”

“First, regarding leasing, the lease term is a big problem. I asked, and three to five years is already considered long. The long-term management department is very strict about these types of contracts. What can you accomplish in three to five years? It’s one thing if it fails, but if it succeeds, wouldn’t you be at the mercy of others? By then, they’d definitely demand an exorbitant price.”

Zhou Buqi, of course, knew this reason; he was just probing to gauge the other party’s business acumen.

Fang Qiwen continued, “Developing a downstream partnership is also difficult. I’ve calculated the profits for mineral water; a gross profit of seventy percent isn’t even considered high. How much do you think they’d want to take? Ultimately, it’s about being controlled by others. If I were willing to work for someone else, I wouldn’t have started my own business. When I was twenty-nine years old, I was already the Vice President of the Wahaha Group.”

Zhou Buqi was very surprised.

He hadn’t expected him to be such a big shot!

However, in business, ability alone isn’t enough; one also needs a forward-looking vision that transcends the times, and a bit of luck.

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment, then smiled. “Anyway, I think betting on the mineral water market is definitely the right move. Brother Fang, maybe after I succeed in my venture, we’ll even have a chance to collaborate.”

“Is that so? I look forward to that day, haha.”

The smile on Fang Qiwen’s face couldn’t hide his perfunctoriness.

It was simple: he didn’t believe this “pickup artist” could make a name for himself in business.

Doing business was far more complex than chasing a few women.

Zhou Buqi didn’t mind.

It didn’t matter.

Let’s wait and see!

…

It took about an hour to get from the airport to the university.

Beijing University of Science and Technology is located within the Fourth Ring Road, in Haidian District, close to Zhongguancun, which is practically half the city center. Especially with a cluster of top-tier prestigious universities nearby, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Renmin University of China, and Beijing Institute of Technology, it’s a veritable university district.

Tomorrow was the official registration day, so Zhou Buqi found a cheap hotel outside the campus. He had a simple lunch, which was a terrible experience.

He didn’t know about Beijing University of Science and Technology’s teaching quality, but the food, clothing, housing, and transportation near the university were significantly worse than Jilin University, especially the small eateries outside the campus, which were so dirty, messy, and poor that it was unbearable to look at.

After lunch, he visited the Beijing University of Science and Technology campus and was speechless again.

This university was too small!

Walking down the two intersecting main roads, he could see from one end to the other, as if he could walk from one corner to another in the blink of an eye. In his previous life, he studied at the South Campus of Jilin University, and that single campus alone could be equivalent to seven or eight Beijing Universities of Science and Technology combined.

The atmosphere inside the campus was quite good, though, with many senior students from the Student Union hanging welcome banners for new students.

Overall, the banner content was relatively serious, without brave declarations of love like “The ones in your hard drive are all mistresses; you are the true love,” “Aso Nozomi is weak; we only want you,” or “Freshmen, please don’t turn your back on your seniors when picking up soap.”

Half an hour later, Zhou Buqi shook his head and left Beijing University of Science and Technology, taking a bus to Renmin University of China.

The ride was so bumpy he almost threw up, and he cursed the bus drivers in the Capital for driving just like the ones in Spring City, treating the bus like an airplane.

Renmin University of China’s campus was much more grand; the sky was high and the clouds were light, open and bright, at least not as oppressive as Beijing University of Science and Technology.

After a quick half-hour tour, he left again and went to Beijing Institute of Technology. Next were Minzu University of China, Beijing Dance Academy, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Beijing Forestry University.

By the time he returned to Beijing University of Science and Technology, it was already past four o’clock in the afternoon.

He was a bit tired, but Zhou Buqi was in a good mood.

Because he had successfully found a business opportunity to earn his first pot of gold.

It was 2004, and mobile phones were not yet widespread, especially on university campuses. Inside every campus, IC public phones were installed along the roads, like small roadside kiosks, neatly arranged in rows, looking quite decent.

To use them, one needed to insert an IC card or enter an IP card account and password.

This was the opportunity!

Both IC cards and IP cards had regional restrictions and had to be purchased locally.

It was the university enrollment season, and in Haidian District alone, there were tens of thousands of students from out of town. Most of these new students had a need to buy phone cards.

Without hesitation, Zhou Buqi went directly to the China Telecom business hall outside the university’s side gate.

Indeed, a large sign was erected outside the entrance, with the words “Recruiting Campus Agents” written on it.

“Buying a card?”

The sales clerk was an auntie in her forties, and her attitude wasn’t particularly polite.

Zhou Buqi smiled, pointed to the sign at the door, “What’s this campus agent thing about?”

“Read it yourself!”

The sales clerk took out a document from the counter and tossed it over.

Zhou Buqi took it and saw that the document was titled “Important Notice from Yanjing Telecom Regarding the Recruitment of Campus Agents.”

He didn’t stand on ceremony, found a chair, sat down directly, and said without lifting his head, “Excuse me, do you have coffee?”

“Huh?”

The sales clerk was stunned for a moment, then turned around, eyes wide.

She had been working here for seven or eight years and had never seen a university student like this.

Zhou Buqi, with his legs crossed, pondering over the document, seemed to have more air about him than the store manager, like a regional manager.

The sales clerk was silent for a while before gritting her teeth and saying, “No coffee, is mineral water okay?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t even lift his head, giving a faint “Hmm.”

The sales auntie went to pour water, muttering, “What’s wrong with students these days? They act grander than general managers.”

Ultimately, she was just a service staff here.

But once Zhou Buqi truly became an agent, he could communicate directly with the store manager, a much higher status than a service staff.

The content of the document was quite vague, only explaining some potential issues that might arise during the recruitment of campus agents.

A so-called campus agent was a student who received a batch of phone cards from China Telecom in advance to sell to others. Only after collecting the funds would they settle the outstanding payment.

This could lead to “absconding with the cards,” causing losses for China Telecom.

To avoid losses, the solution proposed in the notice was that each student could only act as an agent for a maximum of one hundred cards at a time, with a total value not exceeding three thousand yuan, and required their student ID and national ID card as collateral.

“Where’s your store manager?”

“She went out.”

“Is she coming back?”

“She’ll be back to check the accounts before closing.”

“Then I’ll wait for her.”

Zhou Buqi nodded. “May I see your cards?”

The sales clerk was a bit displeased, feeling that this young student was too arrogant. She wanted to refuse but couldn’t bring herself to, feeling an invisible pressure in his every move and word.

“We have three types of cards for university students. There are two types of IP cards, the 201 card and the 200 card. The 201 card is our main campus card this year. There’s only one type of IC card; its cost is high, and the discount is low, so it’s not suitable for university students to buy.”

“Does this 200 card have a chip?”

“What?”

The sales clerk didn’t understand.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, not asking further; she was clueless.

There was a type of 200 card with a chip that could be used as an IC card, essentially one card with dual use. It seemed it hadn’t appeared yet.

The IC card in his hand had “Price 29 yuan, with an additional 1 yuan, total 30 yuan call credit” written on the front.

“How much do I pay to get cards from you?”

“You’ll have to discuss that with the store manager.”

After a while, the store manager returned. She was a young married woman in her thirties, with average looks but a well-maintained figure. Compared to the sales clerk, her attitude was much more enthusiastic.

After exchanging pleasantries, he learned her surname was Zhao, and her name was Zhao Yuehong.

“This year, our main offering is the 201 campus card, available in denominations of 30 yuan, 50 yuan, and 100 yuan. All three cards come with corresponding call credit gifts of 5 yuan, 10 yuan, and 25 yuan respectively. The discount is very significant and only available during the enrollment season, much more affordable than China Railcom’s.”

“Sister Zhao, what’s my wholesale price?”

Zhou Buqi smiled as he looked at her.

His calm composure and ease surprised Zhao Yuehong. After a moment, she smiled and asked, “It depends on the quantity. How many do you want to take?”

Zhou Buqi unhurriedly took a sip of water and smiled. “That depends on whether Sister Zhao is willing to help.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhao Yuehong found this university student very interesting.

Zhou Buqi handed over the notice document. “It says a maximum of one hundred cards, which is too few.”

Zhao Yuehong said, “You’re quite ambitious. Do you think these campus cards are that easy to sell?”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Sister Zhao, it’s getting late. I’ll come back tomorrow to discuss it. I won’t disturb you from getting off work.”

Then, ignoring her surprised expression, he simply walked away.

Inside the China Telecom business hall, the store manager and sales clerk exchanged glances, both looking confused.

Chapter 6: Leaflets

Leaving the China Telecom business hall, Zhou Buqi headed straight for a print shop on campus.

Because the general quality of university students was high, especially at such institutions of higher learning, most campus shops operated with relative freedom. In his previous life at Jilin University, he had even seen unmanned convenience stores, where there was a money box filled with change, and customers would pay themselves, calculate the cost, and make change themselves after buying items.

Upon entering the shop, Zhou Buqi saw the owner busy photocopying for someone else. Without standing on ceremony, he directly sat down in front of a computer.

He opened a Word document and began typing rapidly.

“The twenty-first century sees increasingly widespread information exchange and greatly accelerated knowledge updates. The nation has long abolished the allocation system and developed a market economy, a situation that compels self-improvement…”

“The meaning of university is not merely learning, but growth. The acquisition of knowledge is only a small part of personal development. University students of this new era must not have grand ambitions without practical skills. Spending all your time in the library should not be the mainstream of this era; the University Student Activity Center is the core place for improving the comprehensive quality of university students.”

“We cannot shy away from the mission bestowed upon us by this era. Now, student Zhou Buqi from the Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, has organized a large-scale university student social practice activity that is meaningful, thoughtful, ambitious, responsible, and cultivated, combining social relevance with academic rigor. We invite all students willing to realize their self-worth and achieve self-improvement to participate.”

“Of course, we are just university students, and we don’t yet have the ability to undertake overly complex social work. However, the university is also a small society; we can still grow without leaving it. The freshman season is here again, and I have already contacted the China Telecom department and obtained exclusive sales agency for IC cards and IP cards, securing the biggest discounts and greatest benefits for every student at the University of Science and Technology.”

“Individual strength is always limited, so I sincerely invite more like-minded individuals to join. Whether one can make money is not important; what matters is improving one’s comprehensive abilities, gaining social experience, and at the same time, providing help to freshmen, allowing them to feel warmth and care when they arrive in a new, unfamiliar city…”

“Please gather at 9 AM on August 29th, at the entrance of Wanxiu Garden Canteen. Ambitious individuals are welcome to join. Organizer: Zhou Buqi. Mobile Number: XXXXXXXX.”

Zhou Buqi’s typing speed was not slow; he finished an over one thousand-character ‘persuasive pitch’ in half an hour. He checked it twice and was quite satisfied.

University students, after all, were mostly simple and naive, with little concept of deceptive marketing.

Especially in this era.

Zhou Buqi printed out one copy, then used a signature pen to write ‘Zhou Buqi’ on it, as a form of endorsement. He handed it to the print shop owner: “Photocopy one thousand sheets.”

The owner, who had printed many theses, was no stranger to such large-scale printing. He smiled and said, “No need for ten fen per sheet, I’ll give you eight fen.”

“Deal!”

Zhou Buqi took out eighty yuan and handed it over.

Soon, the printing was complete. Zhou Buqi carried the thick stack of leaflets and walked towards Wanxiu Garden Canteen.

By then, the sky was already a bit dark.

There were many students entering and exiting the canteen. Of course, Zhou Buqi couldn’t distribute all the leaflets by himself.

“Excuse me, student, could you help me with something?”

“What is it?”

“When you go into the canteen later, could you help me hand out some leaflets?”

The two female students who had come together for a meal exchanged glances, looking a bit troubled.

Zhou Buqi earnestly said, “I’m doing a good deed, something particularly meaningful that will benefit all students in our school. It’s good karma!”

“Is that so?”

The two female university students took the leaflets and looked at them for a while. It really seemed quite meaningful. Social practice, skill development, and helping freshmen—it all sounded quite good.

“Alright then.”

“Then I’ll give you two hundred copies. If you can’t finish distributing them in the canteen, you can continue after returning to your dorm room.”

“Okay.”

The kind-hearted female university student, whose face was full of freckles, nodded and then looked up doubtfully, “Are you Zhou Buqi?”

“Yes.”

“You’re awesome.”

“Thank you.”

Zhou Buqi whistled as he walked towards Hongbo Garden Canteen, in a good mood. He had successfully found helpers to distribute leaflets for him and had even received praise from them. Nothing beat this feeling.

At the entrance of Hongbo Garden, Zhou Buqi repeated the same tactic and successfully handed out another two hundred copies of leaflets.

Next, he stationed himself at the entrances of classrooms, supermarkets, and other places. Soon, the task of distributing one thousand leaflets was completed.

As for whether those university students would accept the task but not do the work, simply throwing the leaflets into the trash, such a thing would absolutely not happen. He had seen the quality of university students in his previous life at Jilin University, and since the University of Science and Technology was in The Capital, the students’ quality would only be higher.

…

Let alone this era, even university students ten or twenty years later would be severely disconnected from society, immersed in books, romance, or games.

So-called university student entrepreneurship was even more mere talk; the vast majority of university students had never even considered it, not a single idea had crossed their minds.

However, there were always exceptions.

Guo Pengfei, a prominent figure from the Department of Information Engineering, School of Computer and Communication Engineering, was one such exception.

He joined the Department of External Relations of the College Student Union in his freshman year. His exceptionally outstanding ability to secure sponsorships led to his promotion to vice-director the following semester. Now, as he entered his sophomore year, securing the director’s position was without suspense.

More importantly, his professional skills were extremely strong; he excelled in both software and hardware, and was also good at communication. In his freshman year, he had already connected with a Yangtze River Scholar and a doctoral supervisor who was also an associate dean, participating in the construction and maintenance of the campus local area network using Wavelength Division Multiplexing. He played a significant role and received a special reward of several thousand yuan for it.

If he weren’t so ugly, all the girls in the school would probably be chasing him.

At this moment, Guo Pengfei returned to his dorm room, furious.

“Damn it! What’s this Zhou Buqi’s background? Even pyramid schemers aren’t as good at bluffing as him! Exclusive campus agency rights for China Telecom phone cards? Does he just spout nonsense without a second thought? Damn! Others might not know, but don’t I? I was an agent for IP cards last year! Anyone could be an agent for that stuff; last year there were seven or eight campus agents!”

Guo Pengfei, holding four or five leaflets, fiercely crumpled them into a ball and threw them away.

He had originally intended to continue being an agent for phone cards this year, not for making money, but for self-improvement.

He hadn’t expected some inexplicable guy named Zhou Buqi to suddenly appear and start distributing leaflets!

However, despite his anger, Guo Pengfei felt a sense of awe in his heart.

At the very least, he had never thought of using leaflet distribution as a way to market an organization and build a team.

His roommate Zhang Qiang took a leaflet and read it once, then frowned and said, “Not necessarily. Maybe the policy changed this year, and now there’s an exclusive agency right?”

Guo Pengfei scoffed, “Stop kidding, is that possible? Who has the ability to monopolize the entire university? If it could be made that big, wouldn’t the campus business hall just handle it themselves? Would they still need to recruit campus agents?”

Zhang Qiang thought for a moment. “You’re right. Then even if this kid isn’t a liar, he’s definitely exaggerating. Uh… but what it says here is indeed correct.”

Guo Pengfei huffed indignantly, picked up a new leaflet, and dialed the phone number on it. “Damn it! Busy signal!”

Chapter 7: Senior Brother Zhou?

Returning to the dilapidated, old-fashioned hotel, Zhou Buqi sent a text message to Fang Qiwen.

Maintaining connections requires sustained effort, keeping in touch periodically.

Although the other party’s beverage industry currently had little to do with him, they were still in the same city, and he might need their help someday.

After sending a few messages, Zhou Buqi’s phone exploded with activity.

Calls came one after another.

“Excuse me, are you Zhou Buqi?”

“Student Zhou Buqi, is what you said true? Will you organize everyone to act as agents for phone cards?”

“Which year are you in? How come I haven’t heard of you?”

“What’s the plan for tomorrow?”

…

This was the power of flyers. In an era when the internet wasn’t yet widespread and mobile phones were still a luxury, flyers were truly a great tool for social promotion.

Zhou Buqi patiently responded to each call, just like a mobile customer service representative, with an incredibly good attitude.

His mind was calm, and his body felt relaxed.

Dealing with these college students, who lacked social experience, was actually quite simple.

Until one call came through.

“Hello? Are you Zhou Buqi?”

“That’s me.”

“Zhou Buqi from Spring City Normal University Affiliated High School?”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi’s emotions finally showed some change. “You know me?”

The other party was a girl, her voice very pleasant. She continued to press, “Zhou Buqi from Wanchao Group?”

“I am. Student, may I ask who you are?”

“It really is you! My name is Wu Yu. Have you heard of me?”

“Wu Yu…”

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow; the name sounded familiar.

Wu Yu chuckled charmingly, “We’re alumni! I’m a year ahead of you, and I was the school’s broadcaster. You must have heard my broadcasts, right?”

“Oh! Oh! It’s you! So you’re Senior Sister Wu!”

Zhou Buqi slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering.

Back in high school, this Senior Sister Wu was quite something, known as the campus belle of Spring City Normal University Affiliated High School! She was extremely beautiful, and her voice was sweet and melodious. Every time during the break exercises, her voice would echo through the school’s broadcast, reciting a short poem or essay. It was a blessing for all the boys in the school.

Zhou Buqi was also captivated and lost in thought back then, letting his imagination run wild.

However, because they were in different grades and different teaching buildings, they had never interacted.

He hadn’t expected to connect with her in college.

“Senior Sister Wu, are you also at the University of Science and Technology?”

“Yes, I’m from the School of Arts and Law, Department of Law.”

“What a coincidence.”

Zhou Buqi gave a noncommittal laugh, unsure of her intentions. This Senior Sister Wu was already a prominent figure in high school, with countless people pursuing her. She was probably not someone to be underestimated.

Wu Yu asked, “That phone card agency thing, did you really set it up?”

“Yes.”

“That’s really impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“How about we meet up?”

“Now? Isn’t it too late?”

Zhou Buqi directly refused. He still had to answer calls and act as customer service; where would he find the time to go messing around?

Wu Yu drew out her words, saying, “Oh, it’s not late! University is different from high school. Now’s the perfect time. Want to grab a late-night snack together?”

“Forget it, I have things to do. Goodbye!”

Zhou Buqi didn’t stand on ceremony at all, hanging up the phone directly.

After taking a few more calls, a small unexpected incident occurred.

“Zhou Buqi?”

“That’s me.”

“Did you distribute that flyer?”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi heard the other person’s unfriendly tone, carrying deep suspicion. He couldn’t help but become more vigilant and said, “Yes, I did. What about it?”

“The flyer says you obtained exclusive agency rights for phone cards from the China Telecom business hall?”

“Who are you? Does it concern you?”

“I’m Guo Pengfei!”

“What do you mean?”

“I said, my name is Guo Pengfei!”

Zhou Buqi became a little annoyed. “Who the hell cares if you’re Guo Pengfei or Guo ‘Bird-Fly’? I’m selling my phone cards; how does that concern you?”

“You don’t know me? Are you from the University of Science and Technology?”

Guo Pengfei immediately became nervous. Could it be some hoodlum from society running into the school to commit fraud? This was serious; he needed to report it to the school authorities immediately.

Zhou Buqi said, “I am from the University of Science and Technology! So what? Does everyone from the University of Science and Technology have to know you? Who do you think you are?”

Guo Pengfei said, “I’m the Deputy Head of the External Relations Department of the Student Union for the School of Computer Science and Communication. I now suspect you are an illegal element attempting to commit fraud at our school. If you cannot prove your identity, I will report you to the Security Office.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Go ahead and report me. I’m a freshman. Vice Principal Wang Changle is my maternal uncle, and Director Meng of the Academic Affairs Office is my third aunt. Go ahead and report me; I welcome it with open arms.”

“Ah?”

Guo Pengfei was stunned. A relative of a school leader?

The other party was speechless. Zhou Buqi found it amusing; college students were still just college students, lacking experience, still so naive. He casually bluffed, saying calmly, “Student Guo Pengfei, do you still have any questions now?”

“Beep, beep…”

The call was directly disconnected.

“Hanging up without asking? How rude! Such poor manners!”

Zhou Buqi expressed his strong disdain for such behavior.

…

On August 29th, the University of Science and Technology’s freshman orientation began. Such activities were usually hosted by second-year Student Union members.

On campus, many tables and chairs had already been set up, some even with computers and speakers. Large signs were erected everywhere: “School of Mathematics and Physics,” “School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering,” “School of Automation,” “School of Mechanical Engineering,” and so on. Next to each large sign were many smaller signs, indicating different departments.

The School of Economics and Management’s location was a bit out of the way, and there weren’t many orientation staff.

Especially the Department of Business Administration, where only two girls were in charge, one of whom was a third-year departmental Student Union Vice President.

“Senior Sister Chen, you’re here?”

Dong Xiaoyu, a second-year student from the Department of Business Administration, had a bitter expression as she looked at Chen Yan, Senior Sister and Student Union Vice President, who had come to help.

“Just you?” Chen Yan frowned.

“Two others went to the restroom.”

“Only three?”

“Uh… they all left.”

“Where did they go?”

Dong Xiaoyu said strangely, “Senior Sister Chen, don’t you know? Our department has a senior student named Zhou Buqi. He organized a social practice activity, calling on ambitious college students to join him in acting as agents for phone cards, bringing warmth to the new students.”

Chen Yan was astonished. “They all went? Didn’t I arrange for more than ten people to help with orientation?”

“They all went.”

Dong Xiaoyu’s face fell, but she was secretly thinking that if she weren’t still aiming to climb higher in the Student Union, she would have left a long time ago too.

Chen Yan was also helpless. “It’s like they’re chasing a celebrity! This Senior Student Zhou is really something.”

“Senior Sister Chen, you also call him ‘Senior Student’?”

Dong Xiaoyu was momentarily stunned. She knew very well that there was no one named Zhou Buqi in the entire second-year class of the Department of Business Administration, so she had thought he was a third-year senior student.

She hadn’t expected Senior Sister Chen to also call him ‘Senior Student’!

Chen Yan nodded, then shook her head. “There’s no such person in the third-year class.”

“He really is a fourth-year senior student!”

Dong Xiaoyu gasped. “Senior Sister Chen, did you know Senior Student Zhou before? He can rally the entire school to organize such a large social practice activity; he must be very famous, right?”

“No.”

Chen Yan shook her head, deep in thought.

She was the Vice President of the Department of Business Administration’s Student Union; she shouldn’t be unfamiliar with well-known figures in the department.

Dong Xiaoyu tentatively said, “Senior Sister Chen, do you think… Senior Student Zhou might be involved with the university’s Student Union? He’s so capable; only a big stage like the university’s Student Union could truly showcase his abilities, right?”

“Probably… maybe… possibly… but the President and department heads of the university’s Student Union don’t seem to have that name,” Chen Yan said with a hesitant expression.

Dong Xiaoyu looked full of admiration, her eyes sparkling, and she imagined beautifully, “No matter what, true gold always shines. Senior Student Zhou is too amazing. This is truly a case of remaining silent for a long time, then astonishing everyone with a single brilliant act. Exclusive agency for China Telecom phone cards—that’s truly impressive.”

Chen Yan deeply agreed with this point. “Yes, he’s very impressive.”

She had come from the Wanxiu Garden Canteen, where there were hundreds of people at the canteen entrance.

It was definitely a large-scale, organized, and structured event.

“Oh? It looks like a freshman is here, holding an admission letter.” Dong Xiaoyu had sharp eyes and saw a handsome, sunny young man, 1.8 meters tall with a sturdy build, walking towards them from a distance.

Chen Yan turned her head and glanced. “Mm, go ahead and greet him; he should be from our department.”

Dong Xiaoyu stood up and waved with a smile. “Student, are you a freshman from the Department of Business Administration?”

“I am.”

“That’s right. Register here; your materials are all here. After you pick them up, go to the Academic Affairs Building over there to pay your tuition and accommodation fees, and then you’ll be an official University of Science and Technology student. By the way, do you need to apply for student loans? If so, the process will be a bit different.”

“No need.”

“That’s good, haha. What’s your name, junior student?”

“Zhou Buqi.”

“Okay, um… huh? You… what’s your name?”

“My name is Zhou Buqi.”

Dong Xiaoyu was stunned, and Chen Yan also sharply turned her head, looking over in disbelief, as if she’d seen a ghost in broad daylight.

“Junior student, you… you’re not joking, are you?”

“What’s wrong with you two? Is it strange?”

Zhou Buqi handed over his admission letter and ID card. “See for yourselves.”

Dong Xiaoyu quickly took them, and Chen Yan also leaned over. Then, among a stack of freshman registration packets, they indeed found personal materials with “Zhou Buqi” written on them, containing his student ID card, campus bank card, and campus all-in-one card.

The two exchanged glances, their faces turning ashen.

“Can I have my materials? After paying the fees, I still have things to do,” Zhou Buqi asked, confused, looking at them strangely.

“Oh, oh, oh, okay.”

Dong Xiaoyu pulled out the registration packet. “You just need to sign here, and you… uh, if you’re in a hurry, you can pay the fees tomorrow too. Important matters come first.”

Zhou Buqi immediately smiled. “Thank you.”

After walking a few steps, he turned back and asked, “Two Senior Sisters, do you two want to participate in the phone card ‘sending warmth’ event I organized, which serves new students and benefits existing students?”

Dong Xiaoyu’s face flushed crimson, and she pressed her lips together tightly, both excited and expectant.

Chen Yan, however, was a little calmer. She smiled faintly and said, “Maybe next time. We still have to handle freshman orientation; it’s also a very meaningful and important task.”

Chapter 8: Someone Wants to Pluck the Peach

After paying his tuition and accommodation fees, Zhou Buqi received a receipt. With this receipt, he could go to the logistics department to collect his bedding and other dormitory supplies. He wasn’t in a hurry to get them. Checking the time, it was already almost nine o’clock.

He walked towards the Wanxiu Garden Canteen.

In front of the canteen steps, it was as lively as a party.

Some were in groups of three to five, laughing boisterously; some were alone, looking around expectantly; others were gathered together but remained silent, seemingly waiting for something.

Zhou Buqi appeared.

Unfortunately, no one recognized him.

He walked directly onto the steps, standing at the highest point. From his elevated position, he took a deep breath and shouted, “Students of the University of Science and Technology, quiet down, everyone! Quiet! Quiet!”

Soon, the noisy small plaza in front of the canteen quieted down.

Hundreds of gazes simultaneously fixed on Zhou Buqi, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

To be honest, most people couldn’t handle this kind of attention.

Having a strong heart capable of handling big occasions is the foundation for achieving great things.

Fortunately, he had already developed this in his previous life.

“You’re all here to participate in the social practice for the phone card campus agent program, right? I’m Zhou Buqi, hello everyone!” He practically roared, given the considerable area in front of the canteen.

Most of the people here had been attracted by his flyers, and now they became restless again.

Zhou Buqi frowned, thinking that this chaotic situation wouldn’t work. He loudly said, “Quiet! Please remain quiet, everyone! What we are about to do is a meaningful and ambitious good deed that will enrich our university lives. Ten or twenty years from now, every little detail will be vibrant and colorful when you look back. However, please maintain order! Now, I ask all students to form five columns facing me.”

He was full of confidence, but then he was disappointed.

Everyone looked at each other, but no one moved.

Who are you?

Why should we listen to you?

Even the students from the Department of Business Administration who wanted to cooperate with their fellow department member were too embarrassed to step forward.

The core of the University of Science and Technology was its science and engineering departments; the Department of Business Administration was just a minor one.

Zhou Buqi’s heart sank. Something was wrong!

There was a problem!

This scene didn’t make sense.

Since they had all come, it meant they had certain aspirations, that they were university students eager to achieve self-worth and pursue goals. There was no need for them to deliberately cause trouble.

“Guo Pengfei! Which student is Guo Pengfei?” After a brief hesitation, Zhou Buqi loudly called out a name.

Sure enough, a slovenly, unattractive man wearing black shorts, a blue short-sleeved shirt, and slippers walked out. He looked up at Zhou Buqi and asked, “You’re looking for me?”

His gaze was sharp, mixed with disdain and sarcasm.

Zhou Buqi cursed inwardly, but his expression remained calm. He walked towards Guo Pengfei, smiled, and said, “Shall we talk?”

Guo Pengfei’s expression was cold. “I have nothing to say to a liar.”

“Liar?”

“Our university doesn’t have a Vice Principal named Wang Changle at all. This morning, I specifically went to the China Telecom business hall to ask, and there’s no such thing as an exclusive agency right.”

“Is that all?”

Zhou Buqi scoffed.

Guo Pengfei frowned. “You lied to everyone!”

“Marketing, understand? Packaging, understand? You’re a science and engineering geek, aren’t you? Do you understand the market?” Zhou Buqi retorted.

Guo Pengfei looked at him suspiciously. “Are you from the University of Science and Technology? Are you a university student?”

Zhou Buqi showed him the student ID card he had just received.

Guo Pengfei’s expression changed, but he remained stubborn. “Lying is always wrong.”

“I have a big plan here. I’m going to lead students in social practice, and later even in university student entrepreneurship. Without some special methods, can it succeed? Use your brain and think about it properly!”

At this moment, Zhou Buqi also realized that this Guo Pengfei seemed to be an influential figure.

The university students around them were all staring at him, seemingly waiting for his instructions.

He really hadn’t expected this guy to have such strong organizational skills!

Guo Pengfei’s expression was no longer as cold as it had been initially. He asked, “What do you plan to do?”

Zhou Buqi said, “Go to the business hall to get the cards, then have everyone sell them together.”

“Hmph!”

Guo Pengfei scoffed disdainfully. “Do you think selling cards is that easy? Look over there! Sophomores and juniors have already set their sights on it. Do you think it’s still your turn?”

Zhou Buqi looked in the direction he pointed and saw two desks set up at the intersection, with three university students sitting there. He didn’t know when they had appeared.

A hand-drawn poster hung on the desks—‘IC cards, IP cards for sale.’

“So what?” Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm. He had long anticipated the appearance of competitors.

Guo Pengfei said, “Do you know who that person is? The girl in the middle is the Head of the Internal Affairs Department of the University Student Union, and she’s about to compete for the Vice President position. She has organized over twenty people and set up five sales points across the entire university. She has connections and channels. What do you have to compete with them?”

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Guo Pengfei pointed to his chest. “I can!”

“Pfft!”

Zhou Buqi burst out laughing.

Hahahahaha!

This is too interesting.

His first entrepreneurial venture in university, and someone actually jumped out wanting to pluck the peach!

He had gone through all that trouble printing and distributing flyers, gathering so many ambitious students, and he hadn’t expected someone to try to cut in halfway.

Guo Pengfei’s face was as dark as a pot bottom. Suppressing his anger, he asked, “What are you laughing at?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, looking at him curiously. “What do you plan to do? How will you compete with the University Student Union?”

Guo Pengfei proudly declared, “My name, Guo Pengfei, is a brand in itself! The University Student Union has resources, and I, Guo Pengfei, have a reputation!”

“Do freshmen know you too? Do you think you’re Andy Lau?” Zhou Buqi scoffed.

Guo Pengfei’s old face flushed. He added, “There are over one hundred thirty people here. Even if some back out later, we’ll still have a hundred left. We have more people than the Student Union. If they can set up five sales points, we can set up ten, or even twenty sales points!”

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “Foolish, so foolish.”

“Are you insulting me?” Guo Pengfei was furious.

Zhou Buqi sneered, “Calling you foolish is an exaggeration! If fixed-point sales were feasible, why would the business hall outsource the business? Why would they look for campus agents? Aren’t their own business points much better than just setting up two desks on campus?”

Guo Pengfei blinked, momentarily stunned.

He was an expert in computer and communication technology, but he indeed knew little about marketing and operations. His gaze towards Zhou Buqi changed; at the very least, the other party’s way of thinking and perspective on issues were sharper and more astute.

“Then… then what do you suggest we do?”

“Compared to the general public, university students have a huge advantage: they are more likely to gain the support, trust, and goodwill of society as a whole. Do you understand what I mean?”

Guo Pengfei shook his head.

Zhou Buqi smiled and patted his shoulder. “Remember, there’s an affinity between university students, and this affinity is unstoppable!”

After speaking, he turned around and walked back to the top of the steps, raised his head, puffed out his chest, took a breath, and loudly called out, “Students, please line up. We need to count the numbers. Students from the Department of Business Administration, please help maintain order.”

Guo Pengfei looked up at Zhou Buqi, standing tall and commanding the scene, his heart stirring.

After a moment of hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth, turned around, and began organizing: “Line up! Line up! Everyone, line up! This time, we’re going to do something big!”

Watching Guo Pengfei organize the group, a satisfied smile appeared on Zhou Buqi’s lips.

This person is excellent!

Although he had once thought of plucking the peach, he could distinguish right from wrong, understood when to concede, and was willing to put aside his pride for a common goal. These are essential qualities for someone who achieves great things.

With Guo Pengfei’s coordination and organization, the students quickly formed five columns. A significant portion of students chose to withdraw; they seemed to have no intention of joining from the start, merely coming to watch the show.

After counting, there were a total of ninety-five people.

That’s enough!

“First, let me explain the process. There are three steps. First, we’ll go to the business hall to collect the cards; second, we’ll go to the Hongbo Garden Canteen, where I’ll hold a meeting to teach everyone how to sell; and third, we’ll begin door-to-door sales. Quiet, everyone! Now, let’s go!”

Zhou Buqi gave Guo Pengfei a look, and he understood tacitly, telling everyone not to disperse or scatter, but to remain organized and orderly.

It’s true, despite meeting for the first time and barely exchanging a few words, their chemistry was remarkably high.

On the way to the China Telecom business hall, Zhou Buqi’s phone rang. He answered it and heard, surprisingly, Wu Yu.

She seemed to have just woken up, her voice lazy and very feminine. “It’s the weekend today, do you have any plans? Want to grab a meal together?”

“No time!”

Zhou Buqi hung up directly.

He felt very strange, wondering how he had inexplicably gotten entangled with a senior from his high school.

But he was annoyed.

I’m starting a business here!

The flyers have all been distributed.

She knows that too.

And what’s the result? As a high school alumna, she didn’t come to help, still sleeping in her dorm, wanting to offer herself for free? How can that be without any sincerity?

When they arrived at the China Telecom business hall, Store Manager Zhao Yuehong was startled, thinking they were there to cause trouble.

So many people, they wouldn’t fit inside.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi waved his hand, telling everyone to wait outside. He called Guo Pengfei and went inside to negotiate.

“Sister Zhao, I’m here.” Zhou Buqi smilingly handed over his student ID card.

Zhao Yuehong was startled. “You’re only a freshman?”

“Don’t I look like one?”

Zhou Buqi countered with a question, then smiled. “Sister Zhao, we have plenty of time this time, so let’s lay out the rules. How is the wholesale price calculated? It must be a tiered system, right?”

Zhao Yuehong thought, ‘This university student is too fierce, isn’t he?’

He’s a bit unruly!

However, this wasn’t a derogatory term.

In society, especially among the relatively lower strata, being unruly often helps one get by better.

“What kind of cards do you want?”

“201 cards and IC cards, half and half…”

Before he finished speaking, Guo Pengfei, who had been standing quietly to the side, interrupted, “We need fewer IC cards, or none at all. It’s mainly 201 cards.”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him and nodded. “Then let’s just get all 201 cards. We’ll start with five thousand cards!”

Chapter 9: Are College Students This Wild Now?

“5,000 cards? That’s impossible!”

Zhao Yuehong was startled and flatly refused.

What kind of joke was this?

5,000 201 cards, even at the lowest face value of 30 yuan, would be 150,000 yuan!

If such a huge sum went wrong, she, as the store manager, would have to step down.

Guo Pengfei’s eyes widened even further, looking at Zhou Buqi as if he were an idiot.

Freshman, do you even understand?

The University of Science and Technology only admits about 3,000 regular students each year!

What are you trying to do?

Are you planning to abscond with the cards?

Zhou Buqi, however, didn’t look like he was joking at all. He said seriously, “Sister Zhao, please answer my question first. If I were to act as your agent for 5,000 201 cards, what price could you offer?”

“75% of the card’s face value.”

Zhao Yuehong’s words startled Zhou Buqi.

Such a huge discount?

A campus agent could get a 25% gross profit? Is this real?

It truly was a monopolized telecommunications industry, absolutely exorbitant profits!

“But 5,000 cards are impossible…”

“Sister Zhao, don’t be so quick to refuse. Isn’t your agency standard a limit of 100 cards and 3,000 yuan face value per college student? I know all about it.”

“Then you?” Zhao Yuehong was a little surprised.

Zhou Buqi smiled and said to Guo Pengfei, “Go outside and see who brought their ID card and student ID card. Explain clearly that acting as an agent for phone cards requires collateral, and collect at least 50 sets.”

Guo Pengfei’s expression was grim, but he didn’t refuse.

Ten minutes later, Guo Pengfei returned, carrying a large bag of documents, which he dumped onto the counter.

Zhao Yuehong’s face darkened.

Who does things this way?

This was exploiting a policy loophole!

How did college students get so bold now?

“Sister Zhao, is this acceptable now?”

Zhou Buqi looked at her with a grin.

Zhao Yuehong said with a troubled expression, “No, this is too… 5,000 cards are too many, you won’t be able to sell them all.”

Zhou Buqi knew she was managing risk; she couldn’t bear the responsibility for 5,000 cards. So, he opened the backpack he was carrying and took out five thousand yuan from an inner compartment.

After paying his tuition, this was all the money he had left.

“This is a deposit, do you think it’s enough?” Zhou Buqi looked intently at her. “Sister Zhao, you should be clear that our ID cards and student ID cards are all held here, and all my college living expenses are also here. I’m taking a bigger risk than you!”

At this moment, Guo Pengfei also made an important decision. He actually pulled out a wad of money from his back pocket. “I also have five thousand yuan as a deposit.”

Zhou Buqi looked at him in surprise.

Guo Pengfei snorted coldly, “I know the rules for campus agents. I originally intended to use this money as a deposit to act as an agent for more IP cards.”

Together, they had ten thousand yuan!

“Sister Zhao, is this acceptable now?”

“Hiss…”

Zhao Yuehong felt immense pressure. She was almost forty; in terms of age, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to be these two college students’ mother. Yet, at this moment, she was intimidated by their aura.

She still wanted to refuse, but she couldn’t open her mouth.

These two college students were extraordinary. They had methods and courage, completely unlike ordinary college students.

Especially Zhou Buqi, his demeanor, his tone, his gaze… he was just like those seasoned veterans in society.

“The store doesn’t have that much inventory, and we need to reserve some for retail. At most… at most, I can give you 3,000 cards.” Zhao Yuehong hesitated for a long time before finally making up her mind.

Zhou Buqi smiled, “3,000 cards, no problem! But I want a 25% discount.”

“Alright.”

“1,000 cards each of 30 yuan, 50 yuan, and 100 yuan denominations, that way it’s easier to calculate.”

“Okay.”

“I need you to provide a letter of authorization, stating that we are indeed China Telecom’s campus agents, not scammers.”

“Alright!”

Zhao Yuehong agreed to each point, feeling drained. “Any other requests?”

Zhou Buqi laughed heartily. “That’s all. Oh, one last suggestion: replenish your stock as soon as possible. Maybe we’ll need to restock new cards this afternoon.”

…

The agency process went smoothly.

Next, was the second step.

Zhou Buqi first went to a copy shop, made 50 copies of the letter of authorization issued by the business hall, and then led the team to Hongbo Garden Canteen.

It wasn’t mealtime yet, so the canteen was empty, perfect for a meeting.

“Soon, we’ll break into small groups, two people per team, and act separately. On average, the task isn’t too heavy.”

Zhou Buqi’s words drew dissatisfaction from Guo Pengfei, but fortunately, he still considered the other’s feelings and asked tactfully, “Who are we selling so many to? The freshmen haven’t even arrived to register yet!”

“As for the freshmen, we’ll talk about them tomorrow. Our targets are sophomores, juniors, seniors, as well as graduate students and faculty members.”

“You’re ki—”

Guo Pengfei almost burst out laughing, but he held it in and asked, “Alright, tell me, how do we sell them? Let me tell you, this is the University of Science and Technology. Experienced students here hardly need IP cards; an IC card is enough.”

Immediately, someone else chimed in, and everyone started laughing heartily.

“What do you mean?” Zhou Buqi was very puzzled.

Guo Pengfei paused, then lowered his voice and told him, “IC public phones have too many bugs. There are many ways to make free calls. Especially in our department, everyone except the rich and the idiots are exploiting loopholes.”

“What loopholes?”

Zhou Buqi was a Rich second-generation; he had started using mobile phones ten years ago, so he really didn’t know about such things.

Guo Pengfei then told him that the structure of IC public phones was very simple. Even after several generations of updates, it couldn’t stump these specialized college students.

Prepare an IC card, take an ear spoon, and attach a key to it, connecting them like a wire. Then insert the ear spoon into the card slot, making sure to locate the phone’s chip.

Then, rub the key connected to the other end back and forth on the metal part of the phone, generating an electric current. At this point, the IC public phone’s chip would be triggered, allowing free calls.

Hearing this explanation, Zhou Buqi was dumbfounded.

Holy cow!

This works too?

These college students are too bold, aren’t they?

Indeed, extraordinary people emerge from the common folk. A “Rich second-generation” like him, who had never experienced the hardships of ordinary people, had never heard of such things.

Seeing him in a daze, Guo Pengfei winked and smiled triumphantly, “Actually, there are still a lot of bugs with these phone cards. Some have been fixed by China Telecom, but some haven’t. Last semester, I found a new bug that also allows free calls. But I have a mobile phone and I’m not short on money, so I don’t take advantage of the state.”

Amazing, truly freaking amazing!

Zhou Buqi wanted to cry.

Insufficient market research!

He had no idea there was such “inside information” before.

This created enormous trouble for his phone card sales!

“Senior Student Guo, please keep everyone calm. I’m going out for a trip, no more than half an hour.”

Zhou Buqi pondered for a moment and made a decision.

Leaving the canteen, he immediately went to a print shop.

“Boss, can your computer access the internet?”

“What for?”

“To download a photo and then print it, uh… print 50 copies.”

“Alright, you can try. The campus network has been disconnecting frequently lately. I don’t know what’s wrong again. It was just maintained a while ago, so it probably needs fixing again.”

Zhou Buqi was lucky; he successfully got online and then searched for photos of left-behind children.

He scrolled through a few pictures and found one with a dilapidated, crumbling, leaky, and doorless dangerous school building in the background, with a dozen dark-skinned children holding books in front of it.

“Boss, print it! Just this photo. The clarity doesn’t need to be too high, but I need it fast.”

“50 yuan.”

While the photos were printing, Zhou Buqi checked his phone and found several text messages from his high school classmate Wu Yu, all rambling.

Zhou Buqi casually replied, “If I have time, I’ll treat you to spicy hot pot.”

…

More than half an hour later, Zhou Buqi returned to Hongbo Garden Canteen with a stack of photos. Everyone was calm and waiting patiently, which indicated Guo Pengfei’s organizational skills were indeed good.

“I forgot something. I left the most important photos at the business hall, hehe.”

Zhou Buqi said this without batting an eyelid.

“Photos? What photos?” Guo Pengfei found it very strange. He had been present during the negotiation at the business hall, and no photos were mentioned at all.

Zhou Buqi distributed the photos, his expression stern, and said in a deep voice, “These are left-behind children from the western regions. The photo shows their school. Education starts from childhood, but can children study in such a school? This time, I contacted the China Telecom business hall, and we reached an agreement to donate the profits from this campus phone card agency sale to them, contributing a small effort.”

Guo Pengfei gasped.

Completely dumbfounded!

He looked at Zhou Buqi as if he wanted to devour him, his eyes bloodshot.

Madman! You’re a madman!

You dare to fabricate such lies? You’ll stop at nothing to make money, you’re a devil!

Zhou Buqi remained calm. While everyone was looking at the photos, he grabbed Guo Pengfei and pulled him into a corner.

“Are you crazy?”

Guo Pengfei tried to suppress his voice, but he couldn’t suppress his anger.

He saw through Zhou Buqi’s intention: to exploit the kindness of college students and their concern for children in impoverished areas to make money! This was ill-gotten gains, exploiting charity!

Zhou Buqi lowered his voice, his tone angry. “Do you think I want to? Who knew you damn college students were so bold, even finding bugs in IC public phones? If we don’t do this, how are we going to sell our cards?”

“Then return them!” Guo Pengfei didn’t back down.

“Bullshit!”

Zhou Buqi was furious. “I worked so hard to set up such a big scene, and the printing alone cost hundreds of yuan. You want me to return them? Where would I return them to?”

Guo Pengfei said, “But you can’t exploit everyone’s sympathy to make ill-gotten gains. Can your conscience be at peace?”

“Stop, stop, stop!”

Zhou Buqi interrupted him impatiently, his expression strange. “What ill-gotten gains? Who’s making ill-gotten gains? Make yourself clear! Besides slightly exaggerating the marketing method, I’ve never crossed my personal bottom line. What kind of label are you putting on me? What I’m doing is clearly a good deed, so how did I become unforgivable in your mouth? Are you crazy?”

Chapter 10: Consumer Psychology

Guo Pengfei, like a righteous fighter, said emotionally, “Aren’t you just trying to exploit people’s sympathy? Am I wrong?”

Zhou Buqi looked at him in surprise.

Guo Pengfei took a deep breath, feeling his sense of justice overflowing. He even recited a poem, saying with deep regret, “Do not fail to do good, however small; do not do evil, however small. Zhou Buqi, your values are too distorted!”

Zhou Buqi sighed, “You’re just a naive kid living in an ivory tower.”

“Who are you calling naive?”

“You, of course.”

“Yes, I admit you know a lot and your methods are impressive. But when it comes to being a decent person, I’m a million times better than you!” Guo Pengfei’s face was filled with disdain.

Zhou Buqi said, “You’re right, in this passive situation, leveraging charity is indeed the marketing strategy I chose. However, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”

Guo Pengfei scoffed dismissively, “Are you making excuses for your shamelessness?”

“Are you sick? First, I didn’t trick them. The phone cards they bought will definitely have the biggest discount within a year, right?”

“Hmm.”

“Second, I never said I’d pocket all this money myself. I’m definitely going to donate everyone’s kindness to children in the western regions.”

“Huh?”

Guo Pengfei was stunned for a moment. “You’re really going to donate?”

“Of course!”

Zhou Buqi glared at him, annoyed. “This is exaggerated marketing, not false marketing, do you understand? This is business, not fraud! This is a win-win-win situation, don’t you get it?”

Guo Pengfei looked bewildered.

Zhou Buqi said, “I’m selling them the campus cards with the biggest discounts, so they benefit. I’ll take a portion of the profit and donate it to children in the western regions to improve their environment; I’ll earn start-up capital for my venture, to plan for bigger things to come. You idiot, do you understand?”

“What big things?”

Guo Pengfei’s arrogance instantly vanished, and he looked embarrassed.

Zhou Buqi said, “I will donate 10% of the profit. With the remaining funds, I will start a business, I will open a company, I will solve the huge employment problem for society, create massive tax revenue for the country, and even change the economic environment of a certain industry, aligning it with international standards. So, rather than saying I’m exploiting charity, it’s more accurate to say I’m pre-emptively tapping into the patriotism of all the University of Science and Technology’s faculty and students.”

“Oh my god!”

Guo Pengfei felt dizzy, as if he had just attended a pyramid scheme lecture.

After a long while, he finally reacted, opening his eyes wide to look at him. “You’re really going to start a business? During university?”

“Of course.” Zhou Buqi smiled. “You don’t believe me?”

Guo Pengfei was silent for a long time, then sighed and gave a definite reply, “I believe you. You’re very different, I can’t see through you. Your methods are too powerful, and your eloquence is amazing. Even pyramid scheme operators aren’t as good as you.”

Zhou Buqi laughed heartily, “Everyone has their strengths.”

“What are your plans after selling the phone cards?” Guo Pengfei looked up at him and asked.

Zhou Buqi looked at him meaningfully. “How about you join me? We can work together?”

Guo Pengfei’s face flushed red.

He was a sophomore, and one of the most prominent figures at the University of Science and Technology, almost a legendary existence.

To be an underling to a freshman junior made him feel very awkward and his expression was unpleasant.

However, after a moment of hesitation, he nodded heavily. “Alright, let’s do it together.”

…

With ID cards and student ID cards as collateral, there was no need to worry about anyone running away.

The 201 phone cards were quickly distributed. The remaining 500 cards were to be sold by Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei.

Everyone else went to good places for promotion like the library, teaching buildings, and dormitories.

Although Zhou Buqi’s task was heavy, he was very confident.

If he couldn’t even sell 500 phone cards, he might as well give up!

The first stop was the canteen!

The sales method was simple, consisting of four steps.

First step, show the photos to evoke sympathy;

Second step, show the authorization letter to gain trust;

Third step, explain the phone card’s discounts to make them feel like they’re getting a bargain;

Fourth step, using the name of the University Student Union and China Telecom’s business hall collaborating to collect donations, deliver the fatal blow: deliver the goods and collect the money!

In just one hour, the two sold over 160 phone cards in the Hongbo Garden Canteen.

Guo Pengfei was dumbfounded.

When did selling cards become so easy?

Last year, when he was an agent for campus cards, he only sold over 70 cards in three days.

Especially those aunties and uncles who were stir-frying and picking vegetables in the canteen, their eyes were red, as if they were snatching something. One auntie bought 8 cards in one go, totaling 500 yuan!

“Do you understand?”

Stepping out of the canteen, Zhou Buqi smiled at Guo Pengfei. “Mastering consumer psychology is the foundation of success.”

Guo Pengfei sighed, “I’m impressed!”

“Where do you think they went wrong?” Zhou Buqi pointed to the University Student Union members setting up stalls to sell phone cards in the distance.

Guo Pengfei tentatively said, “They didn’t understand consumer mentality?”

“More than that.” Zhou Buqi paused. “The traditional consumption model is ‘consumers want to buy, then merchants will sell.’ This inevitably leads to our country having the highest savings rate in the world; people save all their money, they don’t want to buy, so goods don’t sell. This severely restricts domestic demand, objectively forcing our country to rely on government and large state-owned enterprise investments to stimulate domestic demand, increase production capacity, and generate GDP. This is a distorted market.”

Guo Pengfei was greatly shaken, and his gaze towards Zhou Buqi was somewhat reverent. “So? What should a good consumption model be like?”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Of course, it’s our model.”

“Our card-selling model?” Guo Pengfei was greatly surprised.

“As I said, this is consumer psychology. Through mastering consumer psychology and spending habits, we carry out step-by-step marketing promotion, ultimately achieving… hehe, the ‘I want to sell, and consumers will buy’ model.”

Having experienced the era of big data recommendations and live-stream selling, Zhou Buqi had a deep understanding of this.

Guo Pengfei lowered his head, silent.

Suddenly, he felt so ignorant.

…

They went to the Wanxiu Garden Canteen and sold over 100 more cards. Half of the 500-card sales target was already completed.

After eating at the Wanxiu Garden Canteen, the two planned to visit a few more shops on campus and “raid” them.

After selling over 30 more cards, Guo Pengfei received a call.

It was from his academic advisor.

The campus network had a malfunction, and a group of postdocs and PhDs were invited to inspect it. Since Guo Pengfei had participated in the construction and maintenance of the campus network multiple times, Vice Dean Li, who was leading the project, also notified him to come and take a look.

Current campus network technology was not yet mature, and a large-scale maintenance and reconstruction was required at the beginning of each semester to provide the most stable network service for all faculty and students in the new semester.

It shouldn’t be a big problem.

“You can actually participate in the campus network maintenance? With postdocs and PhDs? Your technical skills are that good?” Zhou Buqi was very surprised.

Guo Pengfei waved his hand dismissively. “Just minor technical skills, nothing compared to your grand theories.”

“That’s true.” Zhou Buqi nodded, deeply agreeing.

Guo Pengfei’s face darkened.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Then let’s go, we’ll go together.”

“You too?”

“Yes.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Sell cards!”

Chapter 11: Experts Emerge from the People

Guo Pengfei and Zhou Buqi were the first to arrive.

Inside the network center, several repairmen in uniform shirts were smoking and chatting loudly.

However, this campus network outage wasn’t a construction issue; it was a technical one, beyond the scope of these repairmen.

“Little Guo, you’re here?”

A middle-aged man wearing glasses stood up, smiling and waving at Guo Pengfei.

“Brother Liu, have you found out? Where’s the problem?” Guo Pengfei clearly knew him, then whispered to Zhou Buqi, “This is Team Leader Liu from the construction team. They laid the optical fibers.”

“It’s not our problem.”

Team Leader Liu casually flicked his cigarette butt onto the floor and stomped on it hard with his foot.

Zhou Buqi frowned subtly.

This work style was really rough. This was the IP end monitoring room, a laboratory-grade area.

Guo Pengfei went to check the router.

Zhou Buqi, not understanding the technical aspects, chatted and joked with the repairmen, telling a couple of dirty jokes. In no time, he blended right in. Someone offered him a cigarette, and he hesitated a few times before refusing.

In his previous life, he used to smoke, but in this life, he hadn’t developed the habit. There were plenty of wonderful times waiting for him to enjoy in the future; there was no need to sacrifice his health for a moment of pleasure.

Once they had chatted enough to become familiar, Zhou Buqi revealed his fangs and began to promote phone cards.

True talent often lies among the common folk.

When these repairmen saw the pitiful state of the children in the mountain areas from the photos, they were all moved, sighing deeply. Upon hearing that Zhou Buqi would donate the proceeds from his cooperation with the business hall, they all applauded. When they learned that these campus cards offered huge discounts, with an extra twenty-five yuan of call credit for a one hundred yuan card, they were all tempted.

Then, the six repairmen bought more than twenty cards in one go.

If they hadn’t been limited by the cash they had on them, they might have bought even more.

Guo Pengfei squatted there, checking the router, while his ears perked up, listening to Zhou Buqi’s seamless conversation with these “socialites.” He was repeatedly astonished, feeling more and more that this kid had a promising future.

Seeing him casually sell over twenty more cards, he couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated.

He truly left no one untouched wherever he went.

“How is it? Have you found out what the fault is?”

After selling the cards, Zhou Buqi walked over with a grin.

Guo Pengfei said, “I came here once the day before yesterday, and everything was fine when we ran the traffic. But then it disconnected yesterday. I thought the optical port was down, so I told the staff to restart it, and it worked. I didn’t expect it to disconnect again today…”

Zhou Buqi’s head began to ache. “Don’t tell me all that, I don’t understand technology. I’m asking for the result.”

Guo Pengfei gave him a disdainful look. “I speculate it’s an optical power mismatch between the DDN and the central switch. But this is just a guess; we need to copy the data and compare it with the parameters from the other side.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, saying nothing more.

He understood basic computer knowledge, but this was beyond him.

A moment later, four big shots arrived.

One was a postdoctoral researcher, and three were doctoral students.

Everyone else stood back, and only Guo Pengfei went over to explain the situation to them.

Soon after, a Dr. Li asserted, “It should be correct, it’s an optical power issue. I have the data here; let’s compare it.”

Then, he took out his laptop, connected it, and performed a series of operations.

Upon investigation, it was indeed true!

The other end used Changzheng Technology’s optical communication, which had a relatively high power output, though not excessively so, allowing it to run upon startup. However, after running for an extended period, with increased load, it burned out the router’s optical port.

The problem was found, but how to solve it?

The postdoctoral researcher and the doctoral students engaged in a heated discussion, and Guo Pengfei quietly retreated to the side.

“Why aren’t you joining the discussion?” Zhou Buqi nudged him.

Guo Pengfei rolled his eyes. “Do you think I’m a god? I’m just a second-year university student, okay? I don’t understand any of the optical transmission theories they’re talking about.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled. “You don’t understand, and neither do I. Looks like our levels are about the same.”

Guo Pengfei didn’t want to talk to this shameless guy.

Five minutes later, the discussion results were out.

Dr. Li said, “We need to apply for funding from the university to purchase an optical attenuator. We can just reduce the signal strength transmitted to this end.”

“An optical attenuator? Is there none domestically?”

“No, it needs to be imported.”

“How much does it cost?”

“Not expensive, about five thousand US dollars,” Postdoctoral Researcher Wang said after a moment’s thought.

Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei exchanged glances, letting out a soft “Hmph.”

As expected of a postdoctoral researcher, what a grand tone!

Five thousand US dollars—that was foreign exchange. How difficult would it be to apply for that?

But if they didn’t apply for and purchase it, the campus network would frequently malfunction this semester, which would be troublesome. The critical point was that even if the funding application was successful and the order placed, it would take at least half a month for it to be shipped from abroad.

The university semester had already started!

Many courses required network services.

Just then, Team Leader Liu from the repair team walked over, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and squinted as he asked, “Uh, I’m just a rough guy, didn’t even finish junior high, so I don’t understand any profound theories. I heard it’s about the power mismatch between these two ends?”

The postdoctoral researcher and the doctoral students remained silent.

Zhou Buqi, however, had no prejudice based on status. He smiled and said, “Yes, that’s roughly it. Our side has lower power, and the incoming power is slightly too high. Over time, it can’t handle it.”

“Isn’t that simple then?”

Team Leader Liu chuckled, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth.

“Simple?”

The high-achieving students scoffed, their faces showing mockery.

Guo Pengfei also frowned, feeling that Team Leader Liu was being too boastful, just like Zhou Buqi.

Postdoctoral Researcher Wang and the three doctoral students had been investigating for so long; how could a repairman like him understand optical principles and network data transmission protocols?

If it were truly that simple, would they need to spend a fortune on an optical attenuator?

Zhou Buqi’s expression was different. He glanced at him and asked with a smile, “Brother Liu, can you fix it?”

Team Leader Liu gave a hearty laugh. “Want to give it a try?”

“Then let’s try it,” Zhou Buqi gestured for him to proceed.

“Don’t touch it!” Postdoctoral Researcher Wang felt insulted and shouted, his face grim. “These are high-tech products; what if you break them? Also, this is the network center, an experiment base, no smoking!”

Team Leader Liu paused, then gave a noncommittal laugh. “I was just kidding, haha, then I won’t try, won’t try.”

He waved his hand dismissively, not at all annoyed.

Zhou Buqi, however, was displeased. He grabbed Team Leader Liu. “Brother Liu, please go ahead. Maybe you can fix it? You could even save the country five thousand US dollars in foreign exchange reserves.”

Postdoctoral Researcher Wang felt offended and said unhappily, “Who are you? What right do you have to be here?”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him, too lazy to respond.

What was a postdoctoral researcher?

It was a special position for someone who, after completing their doctorate, hadn’t yet found a job and continued to stay at the university to participate in projects with their supervisor.

One must remember, this was 2004!

The country’s various industries urgently needed high-end scientific and technological talent. Doctoral graduates in the communication industry from top universities like the University of Science and Technology were typically leaders in their fields.

If they truly had the ability, would they need to stay at the university to assist their supervisors?

They would have long since carved out their own path.

Guo Pengfei didn’t want to escalate the situation, so he tried to smooth things over. “Senior Student Wang, how about… how about we let Team Leader Liu give it a try? He’s been working for over ten years; he might not be strong on theory, but he’s quite skilled with practical operations.”

Postdoctoral Researcher Wang snorted coldly and said nothing more.

Guo Pengfei carried significant weight. His supervisor, Yangtze River Scholar, doctoral supervisor, and Vice Dean Li Zhengming, had once said that this young man’s future was limitless.

With the encouragement of Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei, Team Leader Liu finally made his move.

He seemed to have no experience handling sophisticated equipment. He tilted his head, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, one eye squinted, and fiddled with the optical fiber cables a few times. Then he turned back and asked, “Old Niu, where’s the marker pen?”

Old Niu came over, took a look, and said in a simple-minded way, “Use a pencil, that’s reliable.”

Team Leader Liu took the pencil, wrapped the optical fiber around it a few times, then reached out his hand, and Old Niu handed him a roll of black electrical tape. Team Leader Liu casually wrapped the black tape around it a few times. The entire sequence of actions showed no precise measurements or high-tech skill.

It was entirely based on guesswork!

Or rather, it was entirely based on experience.

“Now, try it.”

Team Leader Liu fixed the pencil against the wall and then waved his hand. “I don’t understand that computer stuff.”

At this moment, the network center was so quiet that even breathing could be heard.

The postdoctoral researcher, the doctoral students, including Guo Pengfei and Zhou Buqi, all had their eyes gleaming.

Even Zhou Buqi could understand Team Leader Liu’s method.

This was something learned in the simplest middle school physics: the principle of a transformer!

Reliable!

Guo Pengfei knew this was to increase optical attenuation. He eagerly went to operate the laptop, comparing parameters, testing the optical power… Everything was normal, it was fixed!

“Team Leader Liu, you’ve helped us a great deal! Now we don’t need to purchase an optical attenuator.”

Guo Pengfei was excited. He looked back, only to find Postdoctoral Researcher Wang and the three doctoral students looking very displeased.

Zhou Buqi’s lips curved into a smile, and he started selling cards again. “Several Senior Students, I have a batch of campus cards here, with huge discounts…”

“No!”

Before he could finish, Postdoctoral Researcher Wang interrupted him.

Zhou Buqi continued, “We’ve contacted Telecom, and the funds raised will be donated to children in impoverished mountain areas. Buying a card is like showing your love…”

“Not interested!”

Postdoctoral Researcher Wang interrupted him again, his face grim. He waved his hand. “Let’s go!”

Then, the high-achieving students left directly.

Guo Pengfei stared blankly at their retreating figures, his face filled with disappointment.

The repair team also packed up and left.

Zhou Buqi patted his shoulder. “Did you understand what happened this time?”

Guo Pengfei was a bit dejected. “Senior Student Wang’s technical skills are very high; I once admired him greatly. I never thought… I never thought that a technical problem they couldn’t solve would be fixed by a repairman.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Profound theory doesn’t equate to high ability. In fact, if you look at business magnates worldwide, few have high academic qualifications. Few doctors or postdoctoral researchers succeed in starting businesses. Do you know why?”

“You need to step out of the ivory tower,” Guo Pengfei narrowed his eyes and sighed.

“It’s here,” Zhou Buqi pointed to his head. “Your way of thinking needs to break free.”

Chapter 12: Senior Sister Xu

This time, Guo Pengfei was truly convinced.

The problem that several Postdoctoral Researchers and Doctors couldn’t solve was fixed by a maintenance worker who hadn’t even finished junior high. For someone passionate about technology, this was a significant blow.

But Zhou Buqi’s next words hurt him even more, “Although I don’t understand technology, I understand human nature. Why do you think that Postdoctoral Researcher insisted on importing an Optical Attenuator from abroad? The procurement process has the most hidden tricks. If nothing unexpected happens, and if the report really goes through, I imagine that Postdoctoral Researcher would also lead the procurement task. This process… hmph, there’s a lot of room for manipulation.”

Guo Pengfei’s eyes widened, “Really?”

Zhou Buqi sneered, “Maybe… this was a trap they deliberately set to make money from the university. Otherwise, with their high level of expertise, they should have known that the power at both ends was mismatched when they set it up, or perhaps they shouldn’t have used Changzheng’s equipment at all.”

Guo Pengfei mumbled, “It seems so.”

Zhou Buqi added, “Otherwise, why was he so angry? Team Leader Liu saved our university a large sum of money, but he wasn’t happy at all; instead, he looked hateful. Didn’t you see that?”

Guo Pengfei scratched his head, “I didn’t notice.”

“Uh…”

Zhou Buqi was a little speechless.

Yes, although Guo Pengfei was excellent and a rare talent, he was still just an inexperienced university student. In terms of social etiquette and reading people, it was difficult for him to compare with a maintenance worker who had been through the wringer in society.

“Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Continue selling Campus Cards. We still have two hours.”

Zhou Buqi had arranged to meet everyone at the Hongbo Garden Canteen at 2 PM.

As they walked out of the Network Center, six or seven people came rushing towards them, looking very urgent.

The leader was a girl who shouted from a distance, “Guo Pengfei, I was looking for you!”

Guo Pengfei was startled, looked up, “Xu Jianing?”

At this moment, Zhou Buqi also remembered that this girl was the current head of the University Student Union’s Internal Affairs Department, a student leader who was about to take over as Vice President.

Xu Jianing looked quite good, wearing light blue jeans, a red short-sleeved shirt, and short, ear-length hair, making her appear very capable. She said indignantly, “Guo Pengfei, you’re causing trouble for me again!”

Guo Pengfei wasn’t afraid of this Senior Sister Xu. Let alone her, he wasn’t even afraid of the University Student Union President. He was a technical expert whose name was known to the university leaders and who had worked with a bunch of Doctors and Postdoctoral Researchers.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Still pretending? Tell me, are you the agent for Telecom Campus Cards?”

“What if I am?”

“I knew it!” Xu Jianing bit her lip, huffing, “You’re a well-known person, don’t you understand the bigger picture? Last year, when you were a freshman, I let it go because you were new. But what’s going on this year? Don’t you know that the University Student Union organizes Campus Card sales to raise funds for the freshman welcoming party? You’re sabotaging us!”

Guo Pengfei scoffed, “Senior Sister Xu, you sell your cards, I sell mine. We mind our own business. What do you mean? Do you want to monopolize it?”

Xu Jianing snapped, “Guo Pengfei, are you doing this on purpose? You’re with your supervisor working on projects every day, you must earn thousands of yuan each semester, right? You’re not short on money, why are you competing with the Student Union?”

Guo Pengfei said, “What do you mean ‘competing’? You sell yours, I sell mine. Everyone relies on their own ability.”

Xu Jianing wasn’t entirely unreasonable and knew she was in the wrong, but she had made a solemn pledge to the Student Union.

If the Campus Card sales were poor this time and they didn’t raise enough funds for the freshman welcoming party, then it would be impossible for her to be promoted to Vice President of the Student Union in the upcoming election.

“Guo Pengfei, do you have no sense of organization or discipline at all? Do you still want to join the Party?” Xu Jianing unleashed her ultimate move.

In a higher education institution like the University of Science and Technology, the Student Union is usually divided into three levels: the University Student Union, the College Student Union, and the Departmental Student Union.

Among them, the University Student Union is the largest in scale and has the most power, serving as the strongest organization for all students in the university. Without the support of the University Student Union, many things would be impossible to accomplish.

Guo Pengfei was stunned by the other party’s bureaucracy, almost choking.

Zhou Buqi’s initial good impression of Senior Sister Xu quickly deteriorated.

This was just the Student Union in a university, and it was already like this? One could only imagine that when Senior Sister Xu graduated and entered politics, she would only become worse.

However, Zhou Buqi was just a freshman and wasn’t qualified to challenge the University Student Union, so he stepped forward with a smile and said, “Senior Sister Xu, don’t worry. I think there’s still a way to solve this.”

“Who are you?”

“Zhou Buqi.”

Xu Jianing’s eyes widened, “The Zhou Buqi from the flyer?”

Zhou Buqi smiled slightly, “That’s me. I… I’m just helping Senior Brother Guo, hehe.”

At this moment, he had to use Guo Pengfei as a shield, otherwise, the scales would immediately tip.

“I know.” Xu Jianing waved her hand impatiently, seemingly having long decided that Guo Pengfei was the “mastermind” and Zhou Buqi was the “accomplice.” She squinted her phoenix eyes at him, “What’s your solution?”

Zhou Buqi asked, “Senior Sister Xu, it’s a good thing that you’re selling Campus Cards to raise funds for the freshman welcoming party. How much money do you need to raise?”

“A lot!” Xu Jianing pouted, “But our target is five thousand yuan. We’re still short a few hundred yuan. Selling this batch of phone cards should be enough, but then you guys put on a big show, and now the whole university is your network of agents, pushing sales everywhere like Amway.”

A few hundred yuan wasn’t too much.

Zhou Buqi understood. He asked again, “Senior Sister Xu, how many cards do you still have?”

Xu Jianing looked at him strangely, “More than two hundred cards. Why are you asking?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “How about this? I’ll help you sell them. If we sell this batch of cards, your target should be pretty much met, right?”

“You’ll help me sell?”

Xu Jianing and the Student Union members around her didn’t quite believe him.

Zhou Buqi said, “Yes, to be honest with you, Senior Brother Guo and I are also busy promoting phone cards. Since it’s such a coincidence that we’ve met, why don’t we promote and sell them together?”

“We have over two hundred cards here, how are we going to sell them?” Xu Jianing couldn’t believe it.

Zhou Buqi chuckled inwardly.

I also have over two hundred cards left here!

If he didn’t come up with some special method, he probably wouldn’t be able to sell them.

As Xu Jianing said, the entire University of Science and Technology was now filled with people promoting Campus Cards, and the student group was almost saturated. To sell cards, they had to change their approach.

The University Student Union was the biggest name.

It was a pity that these few University Student Union cadres didn’t seem to know how to utilize resources effectively.

“I have a way,” Zhou Buqi said.

“You?”

Xu Jianing didn’t believe him.

Guo Pengfei definitely stood by Zhou Buqi, saying, “Alright, Xu Jianing, stop pretending. We’re helping you sell cards, you should be secretly happy! Isn’t this your goal?”

Xu Jianing’s face immediately flushed. She glared at him, then looked at Zhou Buqi with a pleasant expression, “Zhou… Junior Student Zhou, can all these cards really be sold?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Yes, but Senior Sister Xu needs to come with us. More people means greater strength, hehe.”

“No problem!”

Xu Jianing waved her small hand, looking very decisive.

“Where’s the Administrative Building?”

“Over there, follow me.”

Xu Jianing led the way, her face full of doubt, “What are we going to the Administrative Building for? There aren’t many students there, mostly teachers.”

Zhou Buqi said, “We’re looking for teachers.”

Xu Jianing’s face changed dramatically, “You want to sell cards to teachers?”

“Why not?”

“Teachers all have mobile phones.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

Zhou Buqi was full of confidence, while Xu Jianing looked suspicious.

Guo Pengfei sighed, feeling increasingly unable to keep up with Zhou Buqi’s thinking. He wondered how his mind worked, always able to find solutions to problems in a very short time.

If they really fell out with the University Student Union, and their marketing methods of exclusive campus agency and charitable donations were exposed, their reputation would be affected.

Zhou Buqi helping her sell cards was equivalent to eliminating this hidden danger.

With the University Student Union’s endorsement, everything would be fine.

They went to the Administrative Building and saw photos and brief introductions of the main university leaders on the public bulletin board.

Zhou Buqi looked for a while and asked, “Senior Sister Xu, have you ever been to the Principal’s office?”

Xu Jianing was startled, “What are you going to do? The Principal is so busy, don’t mess around.”

“Who’s messing around? We’re here to sell cards. Besides, I’m leading, what are you afraid of? If there’s a problem, I’ll take responsibility.” Zhou Buqi said righteously.

Xu Jianing’s face turned pale, almost fainting.

Go sell phone cards to the Principal? Are you crazy? Is the Principal someone you can just meet?

Seeing her falter in front of authority, Zhou Buqi became even more disappointed. Where was the imposing aura she displayed earlier when showing off her power to Guo Pengfei, threatening him about joining the Party?

Humble and fawning before leaders, servile and obsequious, yet arrogant and abusing power in front of ordinary people. He never expected this bureaucratic style to have spread to university student unions.

Seeing that she was useless, Zhou Buqi didn’t rely on her and went directly to the security guard at the entrance.

The security guard had seen their University Student Union IDs before and didn’t suspect anything, saying that the university leaders worked on the sixth floor.

“Clear the way, to the sixth floor!”

Zhou Buqi led the way, not intimidated in the slightest.

Xu Jianing’s legs turned to jelly, her face pale, “Zhou… Junior Student Zhou, maybe… maybe we shouldn’t go? We… we can think of other places.”

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, “Think about it, how many faculty and staff are there in the entire university? If the university officially buys our cards, how much income would that be?”

“But…” Xu Jianing was scared.

Zhou Buqi lowered his voice and said, “Senior Sister Xu, I’ll take responsibility for today’s matter, you just watch. If it fails, I’ll bear the consequences. If it succeeds, the benefits are yours. Think about it, showing your face to the university leaders and leaving a good impression, maybe your next step won’t just be Vice President of the Student Union, you might even become the top leader in one go.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Jianing’s face lit up with surprise, her eyes shining.

Chapter 13: Principal Hu

“Which school are you from?”

Just as they reached the sixth floor and walked a few steps, they bumped into a square-faced man in his forties.

“Hello, teacher. We’re from the University Student Union.”

Zhou Buqi answered quickly.

“Student Union?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Buqi gave Xu Jianing a look. Helpless, she had no choice but to take out her ID.

The male teacher’s expression softened considerably. He nodded, “Is there something you need? This is where the university leaders work, please don’t disturb them without a reason.”

Zhou Buqi said, “We’re here to see the Principal.”

“See the Principal?” The male teacher was stunned for a moment, then eyed him suspiciously from head to toe. “What for?”

Zhou Buqi said, “To report some information to the Principal.”

The male teacher looked displeased.

He thought, ‘How can this batch of Student Union members be so ignorant? Is the Principal someone you can just meet whenever you want?’

“If you have anything, talk to your counselor first and resolve it within your school.”

“This matter is quite significant.”

“Oh?”

“Teacher, you must know that the campus network has been experiencing some issues recently. After our investigation, we’ve determined it’s an optical transmission problem, and we need to purchase an optical attenuator from abroad.”

The male teacher frowned and glanced at him. “The Principal isn’t here. Go back and submit a report to your school first, I’ll review it.”

It seemed he was a leader with considerable authority.

But Zhou Buqi didn’t want to back down. “Could I report this to a university leader in person? This matter seems to have a hidden agenda. I suspect someone deliberately sabotaged the campus network to make the university spend foreign exchange on importing equipment.”

As soon as he said this, the male teacher’s face instantly changed.

This was a serious accusation!

The University of Science and Technology is a polytechnic university, and the campus network is extremely important. A malfunction in the campus network would severely impact the university’s teaching. For this reason, the Principal had specifically made a statement at the morning’s office meeting, urging a swift resolution to the problem and preparing the best software and hardware environment to welcome the freshmen.

He hadn’t expected there to be more to it?

“Do you have any evidence?” The male teacher’s expression turned serious.

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “No, but I participated in the campus network maintenance project, so I wanted to report to the Principal.”

The male teacher gave him a deep look. “The Principal isn’t here. Wait a moment, I’ll see if Principal Hu is available.”

After the male teacher left, everyone burst into an uproar.

“Junior Student Zhou, was what you just said true?”

“Weren’t we selling cards? How did this get tied to the campus network?”

“Was the campus network really sabotaged?”

…

Guo Pengfei, in particular, looked up at the ceiling, on the verge of tears.

Damn it!

This is going to be terrible!

Zhou Buqi, that bastard, is too bold! He even dared to trick the Principal. This guy is really going further and further down the path of self-destruction. You’re a freshman, you haven’t even officially entered the University of Science and Technology yet, aren’t you afraid of being directly expelled?

A moment later, the male teacher returned, his expression solemn. He went straight to Zhou Buqi and said, “Principal Hu wants to see you. Remember, keep it short, don’t talk nonsense, you only have five minutes.”

Zhou Buqi confidently assured him, “No problem!”

Principal Hu was the Vice Principal, an old professor in his fifties with white hair, wearing glasses and a white shirt, looking at documents.

After Zhou Buqi and the others entered and greeted him, Principal Hu was exceptionally gentle. He stood up to welcome them and even sat with them on the sofa, approachable and completely without airs.

“You’re involved in the campus network project? You don’t look very old, you must be undergraduates, right?” Principal Hu asked kindly.

No one else dared to speak, but Zhou Buqi, being unruly, didn’t care. He replied, “Yes, Principal Hu, we’re from the University Student Union.”

Principal Hu nodded, approvingly saying, “Hmm, very good, you’re all excellent students.”

But his eyes were scrutinizing Zhou Buqi.

A university Vice Principal with academic prowess, administrative skill, and political acumen like him, whose capabilities surpassed most officials, could tell at a glance who the backbone among these students was.

“Principal, do you have any tea here?”

Just as Principal Hu was observing him, Zhou Buqi inexplicably blurted out, “I’m a bit thirsty.”

As soon as he said this, Xu Jianing nearly died of fright, feeling her Student Union position was about to go down the drain.

Principal Hu was also slightly taken aback, having never encountered such a student. Then he burst out laughing, “Yes, haha, I’ll pour it for you.”

“No need, no need, I can do it myself, haha.”

Zhou Buqi picked up a paper cup, and then, from Principal Hu’s desk, he picked up the large white tea mug that the Principal often used for tea.

Principal Hu had originally intended to get up and help, but seeing Zhou Buqi’s action, he remained seated on the sofa, leisurely observing Zhou Buqi as he busied himself making tea, his gaze growing increasingly appreciative.

Soon, Zhou Buqi used the tea caddy and hot water from the water dispenser on the desk to brew a large mug of strong tea, which he then presented to Principal Hu with both hands. He, himself, haphazardly poured a cup of water and added two tea leaves.

At this, Xu Jianing, Guo Pengfei, and the others understood.

Zhou Buqi wasn’t thirsty at all; he was just looking for an excuse to make tea for Principal Hu.

“Impressive.” Guo Pengfei grew increasingly impressed.

“Flattery!” Xu Jianing secretly disdained him, but at the same time, she secretly made a mental note to learn this method of building good relationships with leaders in the future.

“Alright, tell me, what’s the matter?”

The tea was a bit hot, but Principal Hu, at his age, enjoyed hot tea. He took a sip and nodded slightly.

At this point, Zhou Buqi couldn’t beat around the bush.

His little trick couldn’t fool those discerning eyes, so he spoke frankly: “Principal Hu, we’ve been representing a batch of campus phone cards, but they’re a bit slow to sell. The Student Union is counting on these funds to host the freshman welcoming party.”

“What are your thoughts?” Principal Hu said without lifting his head, not seeming surprised.

Zhou Buqi said, “I think the university could purchase these cards under its name and then distribute them as student prizes or staff rewards. We’ve already negotiated with the operator; it’s definitely the biggest discount within a year. A 201 card with a face value of one hundred yuan will come with an extra twenty-five yuan in call credit. This is the greatest benefit we’ve secured for all faculty and students. However, people aren’t very enthusiastic about buying them.”

Principal Hu hummed, then looked up at him. “How many are unsold?”

“Three thousand cards.”

Zhou Buqi said casually.

“Cough! Cough!”

Xu Jianing couldn’t hold back anymore and coughed violently twice, then suddenly realized she had given them away. She quickly sat up straight, her face flushed crimson.

Oh my god, I’ve met a monster today!

Spouting nonsense in front of the Principal, he’s truly audacious.

She only had a little over two hundred unsold cards, but Zhou Buqi, that guy, brazenly made an outrageous demand without batting an eye.

Principal Hu narrowed his eyes, looking at Zhou Buqi with a half-smile.

Zhou Buqi cursed inwardly, ‘This old hag from the Student Union is always holding me back! With that pathetic demeanor, you still want to climb the ranks? Dream on, you have no composure at all!’

Fortunately, he was unruly enough and quick-witted. He rubbed his hands together with a grin, scratched his head, and said, “Principal Hu, well… two thousand five hundred cards would also work, or how about… two thousand cards?”

Principal Hu took a sip of tea and remained silent for over ten seconds, seemingly deep in thought, before finally speaking: “The university will help you with one thousand cards, with a total value not exceeding fifty thousand yuan.”

He was only the Vice Principal, and the funds he could approve were limited.

Zhou Buqi immediately said, “Thank you, Principal Hu! Our University Student Union thanks you for your support!”

Principal Hu waved his hand as if he had just dealt with a trivial matter. He stood up, returned to his desk, picked up a pen to write a note, and casually asked, “What’s going on with the campus network?”

Zhou Buqi stood up, walked to his desk, and watched him write the approval note. He said, “The malfunction was quite serious. Postdoctoral Researcher Wang, who leads this project, wanted to purchase an optical attenuator from the United States and applied for five thousand US dollars in funding. However, we stopped them. We solved the problem with just a few simple settings. Postdoctoral Researcher Wang and a few other Senior Students with doctorates don’t seem very happy.”

He spoke very casually, but the other students couldn’t discern the underlying meaning.

However, these words were like nails to Principal Hu’s ears. His brow furrowed deeply. He looked up at Zhou Buqi and praised him, “Hmm, you did very well. You can be flexible when you need to be. But when it’s time to uphold principles, you must always uphold them.”

Zhou Buqi understood his hint and softly said, “I understand, Principal Hu.”

Principal Hu handed over the approval note. “I’ll inform the finance department later. Just take this note, and they won’t make things difficult for you since you’re students.”

“Thank you, Principal. We won’t disturb your work anymore.” Zhou Buqi waved his hand behind his back, signaling everyone to get up and leave.

But Principal Hu asked with a smile, “What’s your name?”

“Zhou Buqi.”

“Buqi… ‘A gentleman is not a tool.’ A good name.”

Zhou Buqi said with a bitter expression, “Ever since I was little, many people have made fun of my name.”

“Those who can’t even understand your name, there’s no need to care about them, is there?” Principal Hu said with a smile, offering a piece of advice.

Zhou Buqi’s expression became serious. He said earnestly, “The Principal is right. I’ve also long understood that ‘those whose paths differ cannot plan together.’”

Principal Hu nodded. “What year are you in?”

“First year, from the School of Economics and Management.”

“First year?”

Principal Hu was stunned for a moment. “A freshman?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t lie; he honestly said, “Yes, first year. This time, I’m mainly helping the Senior Students from the Student Union sell cards.”

At a crucial moment, he definitely had to let the University Student Union take the blame. Otherwise, what were Xu Jianing and the others there for? To watch the show?

“Remarkable.”

Principal Hu praised him sincerely.

Zhou Buqi smiled, radiating confidence.

“Planning to start a business?” Principal Hu seemed to want to chat with him more, very interested in this unusual first-year student.

Zhou Buqi said, “I do have that intention.”

Principal Hu thought for a moment, then took out a business card from his drawer and handed it over, saying, “If you encounter any difficulties you can’t solve, you can come to me, and we can discuss them together.”

Zhou Buqi was so moved that tears almost fell.

Some say that everyone meets a few benefactors in their lifetime.

Seize them, and you’ll soar to great heights.

Fail to seize them, and you’ll fade into obscurity like everyone else.

At this moment, he felt his luck was off the charts.

“Oh, right. The university will hold a freshman welcoming ceremony on the first of next month. You’ll represent the freshmen and give a speech.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was utterly stunned.

Chapter 14: The Former High School Campus Belle

At four in the afternoon, Zhou Buqi returned to the hotel he was staying at, accompanied by Guo Pengfei.

After more than half an hour of sorting, the accounts were tallied.

The total was 66,200 yuan.

Since acting as an agent for Campus Cards was considered a school activity, not a commercial operation, there was no need to pay taxes.

After a day of hard work, they had a net profit of over 60,000 yuan, a very fruitful harvest.

If they hadn’t also reimbursed the University Student Union for over 200 cards, they would have earned even more.

Of course, without the name of the University Student Union, it would have been impossible to achieve the feat of selling 1,000 phone cards to the school administration.

“So much money…”

Guo Pengfei was a little dazed, swallowing hard.

He was a prominent figure at the University of Science and Technology because he had been able to participate in graduate-level projects since his freshman year and had frequent contact with academicians. In one year, he had received nearly 10,000 yuan in subsidies.

His legendary story of self-reliance made him a role model for all students at the university.

But in front of Zhou Buqi, he felt his perfect halo shatter.

One day!

To be precise, in just over six hours, Zhou Buqi had led his team to earn over 60,000 yuan.

The money earned in one hour was more than he earned in a whole year!

Compared to that, he felt so insignificant.

“I really didn’t expect that out of over 30,000 teachers and students at the University of Science and Technology, we only sold over 4,000 cards. Reality is indeed much leaner than ideals,” Zhou Buqi shook his head, seemingly dissatisfied with this achievement.

Guo Pengfei looked at his smug, annoying expression and wished he could slap him twice, grumbling to himself, I sold over 70 cards last year, was I proud?

“The mission is canceled. We won’t sell cards tomorrow,” Zhou Buqi made a decision.

“Huh? Not selling anymore?” Guo Pengfei was a bit surprised. “Tomorrow is the main day for freshmen registration. Maybe we could still earn 10,000 yuan.”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him. “Don’t be too greedy.”

“What do you mean?”

“If we eat the meat, we should at least leave some soup for others.”

“You mean… the University Student Union?” Guo Pengfei probed.

Zhou Buqi said, “Today alone, we sold 1,000 cards to the school administration. Don’t you think Xu Jianing is envious? Even though she said the funds for the freshman welcoming gala are almost raised, I guarantee she’s still unwilling and won’t give up. Tomorrow’s Campus Card agency market will definitely be even hotter.”

“What’s there to be afraid of?” Guo Pengfei pouted. “The University Student Union invited me to join several times, even saying I’d start as a vice-minister if I went, but I couldn’t be bothered with them. The hierarchy in the University Student Union is too obvious, and the bureaucratic atmosphere is too strong. It’s boring.”

Zhou Buqi said, “It’s not fear; this is called giving way to others.”

As he spoke, he took out his phone and dialed Senior Sister Xu Jianing’s number.

“Hello? Zhou Buqi? Is something wrong?”

“Senior Sister Xu, have you raised enough funds for the freshman welcoming gala?”

“Uh… pretty much, why?”

“This is what I was thinking: since Senior Sister is raising funds for the freshman welcoming gala, we definitely can’t compete with you for business. We won’t sell cards tomorrow; we’ll leave it all to you.”

“Really?”

Xu Jianing’s voice held undisguised surprise.

Tomorrow was the last day for freshmen registration, and according to previous years’ trends, it was the busiest time for phone card sales.

Of course, this year was special.

Zhou Buqi’s phone cards had already been sold to teachers and students across the entire university, leaving only half of the freshman market.

“It’s true. I’m also a part of the University of Science and Technology and willing to contribute to the Student Union. Of course, the main reason is to help Senior Sister raise more funds so you have a greater advantage in the Student Union’s competition.”

“Then I’m so grateful, Junior Brother Zhou. In the future, at school, your Senior Sister will look out for you!”

Xu Jianing’s originally annoyed and unwilling mood vanished, feeling that this Junior Brother Zhou was truly good at dealing with people.

Zhou Buqi half-jokingly said, “Then thank you, Senior Sister. Hmm… if you could introduce me to a girlfriend, that would be great.”

“Haha!”

Xu Jianing let out two soft laughs. “Alright, no problem! Leave it to your Senior Sister! By the way, what type of girl do you like?”

Zhou Buqi shamelessly declared, “High颜值 (good-looking), good figure, gentle and knows how to act cute, soft voice, gentle body, easily swayed; no seductive sluts, a pure maiden is the most wonderful.”

“Pfft! Haha!”

Xu Jianing was so amused she couldn’t stop laughing. “Where did that rhyme come from? You’re killing me. Alright, I understand. I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

After the call ended, Guo Pengfei looked at him with disdain.

“What’s wrong?”

“You’re really shameless.”

“What?”

Zhou Buqi felt a bit confused.

Guo Pengfei huffed, “Someone like you definitely isn’t a virgin, yet you’re making all these demands. I think you’re a standard scumbag.”

“You’re insulting my character!”

Zhou Buqi flared up in anger, huffing, “I just earned a small sum this time, and I was going to give you a share of the profits, but given your rude remarks just now, it’s off!”

“Ah?” Guo Pengfei was dumbfounded, but his personality was stubborn. “Who cares about it anyway?”

Zhou Buqi sighed. “We’ll keep 60,000 yuan as capital for our future ventures. From the remaining money, take 5,000 yuan as a donation, and another 1,200 yuan for a team dinner tonight. See who you can contact.”

As dinner time approached, he received a call from Wu Yu. Her voice was a bit aggrieved. “Hello? What are you doing? Are you done yet?”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t quite figure out the game of his former high school campus belle, so he replied noncommittally, “Hmm, is something wrong?”

Wu Yu said sweetly, “Let’s have dinner together tonight, we’re all alumni.”

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment. “Alright, wait for me at the North Gate.”

It seemed she wanted to eat spicy hot pot.

…

At the North Gate, over thirty familiar faces appeared, all of whom had helped sell phone cards that day.

The most eye-catching, of course, was Wu Yu!

Almost all the boys present were secretly looking at her, and even the girls couldn’t help but glance her way.

She was wearing a light blue dress adorned with floral patterns, looking fresh and elegant. Her long hair was softly curled and casually draped over her shoulders. Brown-yellow high-heeled leather sandals perfectly accentuated her waist and hip curves, making her look exceptionally refined and stunning.

Compared to her high school days, she had shed her girlish innocence. Her light makeup and graceful demeanor added a touch of femininity.

“Hi! Long time no see.”

Wu Yu had long been immune to this kind of collective attention. She walked up to Zhou Buqi with a smile, greeting him happily, just like an old acquaintance.

Zhou Buqi secretly curled his lips. Girl, are we even that close?

He nodded and waved to everyone. “Let’s go! Time to eat! Let’s take the bus.”

Although it was 2004, this was the imperial capital, and prices were high. With so many people going out for dinner, 1,200 yuan definitely wouldn’t be enough once they started eating. So Guo Pengfei made an excellent choice: a buffet!

38 yuan per person, which was just about right.

Wu Yu was stunned for a moment. “They’re coming too?”

She had thought it was a date for two with Zhou Buqi.

Zhou Buqi didn’t even turn his head. “Yes, it’s a group dinner.”

Wu Yu pouted behind him, a little unhappy, but soon, a bright smile appeared on her face. She quickly walked up to him, walking side by side, and tilted her head, smiling. “Are they the ones who helped sell phone cards today?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you suddenly think of doing this?”

“To earn some pocket money.”

“Pfft!”

Wu Yu couldn’t help but laugh, thinking he was joking with her. She playfully rolled her eyes at him. “You’re really good at joking.”

Zhou Buqi turned to look at her. “I’m not joking.”

Wu Yu pursed her lips. “Mm-hmm, you’re not joking, Second Young Master Zhou.”

“You know a lot about my family’s situation, don’t you?” Wu Yu looked at him strangely.

Wu Yu paused, then lowered her voice. “My dad is the vice president of the procurement department.”

So that’s how it was!

No wonder they didn’t have much interaction in high school, but she suddenly became so affectionate after entering university.

She was trying to gold-dig!

Knowing the inside story, Zhou Buqi didn’t hold back. He reached out and directly put his arm around her waist.

Wow!

So soft, slender, and springy, radiating youth.

Wu Yu’s expression changed. She quickly jumped away, playfully glaring at him with a hint of rebuke. “You’re not being honest.”

Zhou Buqi gave a noncommittal laugh.

Still playing coy!

How did that saying go? A cheap person is always acting coy.

However, Wu Yu was also skilled at playing hard to get. She actively moved closer to him again, asking with a light laugh, “Are you planning to date in college?”

“Maybe.”

Zhou Buqi casually brushed her off, pondering how to make a move quickly. He had been reborn for over two months and hadn’t had a taste of flesh yet. If it’s offered willingly, why not take it?

Wu Yu tilted her head and asked him, “Then what type of girl do you like?”

Zhou Buqi sized her up. “Long wavy hair.”

“Just that one requirement?”

“No, that’s three requirements.”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu was a bit confused. She thought for a moment, then let out a giggle, patting his shoulder with her fair, tender hand. “You’re really naughty.”

Then, everyone boarded the bus together.

There were many empty seats, and Wu Yu wanted to sit by the window, but Zhou Buqi pulled her back, saying seriously, “Everyone worked hard all day and helped me a lot. Let’s give them the seats.”

“I…”

Wu Yu was on the verge of tears but couldn’t cry.

She had thought it was a private date with Zhou Buqi, so she had dressed formally, wearing a dress and high heels, and even sprayed two spritzes of the expensive perfume she usually treasured.

Now she had to take the bus and stand, she couldn’t even stand steadily!

Sure enough, when the bus, like a plane, started, Wu Yu immediately fell into Zhou Buqi’s arms, colliding right into him.

And he had to admit, she was curvy; her figure was truly good.

Zhou Buqi took the opportunity to put his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear, “You know, you meet all three of those conditions.”

Wu Yu gritted her teeth in anger, but her high heels made it difficult to stand steady, so she could only lean against him, huffing, “I’m not promiscuous!”

“That’s not for certain.”

A slight smirk played on Zhou Buqi’s lips.

Wu Yu clutched the handrail tightly, creating a little distance between them so they weren’t pressed together, and glared at him. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

Zhou Buqi looked innocent. “What are you talking about?”

“You… Ouch!”

The driver hit the brakes suddenly, and Wu Yu crashed into him again, flying right into Zhou Buqi’s arms. He caught her fully again, and her fragrance filled his nostrils.

Chapter 15: The Resourceful Second Young Master Zhou

For fifteen minutes on the bus, Zhou Buqi lingered, occasionally “accidentally” grabbing a few times, taking full advantage.

When they got off the bus, Wu Yu’s cheeks were crimson, her eyes watery, and she glared at him with an angry, puffed-up expression.

Zhou Buqi whistled, completely ignoring her, and loudly declared, “Don’t get separated! Guo Pengfei, organize everyone!”

Guo Pengfei had long been seething with anger, thinking Zhou Buqi was a scoundrel, a real scumbag.

He already had a girlfriend, yet he’d asked Xu Jianing to introduce him to someone before. What did that mean?

Did he want to two-time?

“Mind your own business!” Guo Pengfei scoffed at him, then led everyone to the buffet restaurant.

Zhou Buqi whistled and hummed a tune, quickened his steps, caught up with Wu Yu, and reached out to hold her hand.

Her small hand was soft and warm.

“What are you doing?” Wu Yu, whose cheeks had just cooled down, felt her heart pound again.

Zhou Buqi said earnestly, “I’m taking you to eat. Aren’t you eating?”

“Do I need you to take me? I’ve been to this restaurant five or six times!” Wu Yu tried to pull her hand back, but he held it tightly.

Zhou Buqi shamelessly said, “Isn’t that perfect? I haven’t been here, so you can take me.”

“Then let go.”

“I’m afraid I’ll get lost.”

“You…”

Wu Yu was both annoyed and amused. “Why are you like this?”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, leaned in, and whispered, “I’ve got my eye on you.”

Wu Yu’s face instantly flushed as if on fire. She quickly turned her head away, not daring to look at him. “I’d be crazy to believe you; you’re completely unserious.”

Despite saying that, she let him hold her hand.

Watching her shy expression, Zhou Buqi snorted inwardly. Even if you’re the White Bone Demon, I’m still Sun Dasheng with secret weapons in my ears. Let’s see who’s more formidable!

During the buffet, Zhou Buqi showed no restraint, gorging himself and eating with great satisfaction.

Wu Yu, on the other hand, maintained her composure, moving slowly and feigning elegance. While others ate steak directly with chopsticks, she insisted on using a knife and fork for the ritual.

She didn’t eat much before stopping, utterly astonished by Zhou Buqi’s eating habits.

Is this the Second Young Master Zhou from the Zhou family?

Why does he look like a starved ghost reincarnated?

“Don’t eat so much at night, it’s not good for your health,” Wu Yu couldn’t help but advise in a low voice.

Zhou Buqi stuffed another piece of beef into his mouth and mumbled, “Gotta eat more beef, or I won’t have energy tonight.”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu looked bewildered, not quite understanding.

After about an hour of eating and drinking, Zhou Buqi was stuffed to the gills, but the others showed no signs of leaving.

It was a buffet, and they were all university students; no one wanted to waste food.

“Everyone, take your time eating. I have something else to do, so I’ll be leaving first. Oh, and this time was special, consider it charity. Next time, next time I ask for your help, I’ll definitely pay you!”

Zhou Buqi’s words drew laughter from everyone.

University students were adults, and it was past eight o’clock in the evening. Where would a single man and woman go?

“Go on, go on, don’t mind us.”

“It’s fine, just call us next time you need help. Campus practical experience, it’s quite meaningful.”

“One buffet meal is enough; why would we want payment?”

“Junior Student Zhou, be careful tonight, it’s not very safe outside.”

“Right, don’t cause a human life.”

As soon as that was said, laughter erupted again, and the atmosphere became extremely suggestive.

Wu Yu naturally understood some of the subtext; her face flushed, and she turned to leave. Zhou Buqi quickly followed.

“Where are you going?”

After leaving the buffet restaurant, Wu Yu became wary, deliberately keeping her distance from him.

Zhou Buqi clung to her persistently, reaching out to put his arm around her waist. “Let’s go watch a movie.”

“Hands! Hands!”

Wu Yu squirmed a few times but couldn’t break free.

Zhou Buqi, observing everything around him, held her tightly and casually said, “It’s cool at night; lean on me a bit, don’t catch a cold.”

Wu Yu rolled her eyes dramatically. “I want to go back to school.”

“Why go back to school?”

“It’s too late.”

“What time is it? Didn’t you say it yourself, we’re university students now, different from high school. Come on, let’s go watch a movie. I heard ‘House of Flying Daggers’ is pretty good.”

“Then… then we’ll go back to school after the movie.”

“No problem!”

Zhou Buqi loudly promised.

The nearest cinema was in the shopping mall. Once there, Zhou Buqi told her to wait while he went to buy tickets.

Since it was the weekend, there were quite a few people.

After twenty minutes of queuing, Zhou Buqi returned with the tickets.

“Did you get them?”

“Yep.”

“Then let’s go.”

But Zhou Buqi didn’t move.

“Aren’t we watching a movie?” Wu Yu looked at him strangely.

Zhou Buqi lightly coughed. “How about we browse the mall first?”

“Not watching the movie?” Wu Yu was confused.

Zhou Buqi showed her the movie tickets. “The movie is too popular; the earlier showings are all sold out. I bought tickets for the midnight showing.”

Wu Yu’s face darkened. “What time?”

“Ten forty.”

“I want to go back to school!”

“No way! We’ve already bought the tickets… Oh, come on, let’s go. I’ll take you shopping around the mall, see what you like.”

The latter half of his sentence cooled Wu Yu’s eagerness to return to school. She looked at him warily. “Don’t get any bad ideas. It’s true we’re high school alumni, but this is only our first time meeting. If… it wouldn’t look good to our parents either.”

“Where are you thinking of going? Am I that kind of person?”

Zhou Buqi spoke glibly, casually responding. But he thought to himself, if my Coward dad knew, he’d be so supportive of me, maybe he’d even reimburse my room fees!

…

“Does this dress look good?” Wu Yu smiled radiantly, having changed into a white chiffon dress. She looked ethereal, as if she could float away with a wisp of mist.

Truly stunning!

Looking at her, this Senior Student Wu might even be crowned campus belle at the University of Science and Technology.

Zhou Buqi leaned in to look. A French brand, priced at five hundred eighty-eight yuan!

“No, the material is too poor, like a sackcloth. If you wear this out, people will think you’re a beggar. No! Absolutely not!” Zhou Buqi shook his head like a rattle drum.

“Then let’s try another one,” Wu Yu didn’t think much of it and changed into a blue mini-skirt. When she put it on, she looked like a national enchantress, sparkling, with fair, long legs and crystal-clear feet, very eye-catching.

Looking at the tag again… another French one, over six hundred yuan!

“How can it be so ugly? Forget it, let’s just change stores. These French people have such poor taste; their stuff looks like they haven’t had enough to eat.”

Zhou Buqi grumbled, looking like a rogue.

This made the sales clerk hesitant to retort, cursing inwardly, “Where did this poor guy come from? If you don’t have money, don’t come to high-end places to show off! Are you trying to scam money and women?”

Next, the two visited seven or eight more stores.

Twice, Zhou Buqi was lucky, and Wu Yu tried on clothes and voluntarily said they weren’t suitable. Other times, Second Young Master Zhou had to step in, speaking eloquently and debating fiercely, managing to disparage all the clothes as utterly worthless.

Money was finally saved.

But the Senior Student was also offended.

Her big eyes were watery, looking at him with a resentful expression, the meaning very clear: Second Young Master Zhou, why are you so stingy! You’re a Rich second-generation, your family assets are hundreds of millions!

Zhou Buqi had no choice; you have to give a little to get a little. He had to bite the bullet and spend money this once. He saw a red ladies’ sun hat, priced at ninety-nine yuan, which was still acceptable.

“Hmm, this hat is nice, quite pretty. You can wear it normally, and it protects from the sun. New style, excellent quality, good stuff! Bought it!” Zhou Buqi waved his hand grandly, looking very impressive.

Wu Yu looked at him speechless.

Second Young Master Zhou, it’s almost September.

Autumn is here!

Chapter 16: Brother is a Good Man

After a long stroll, it was ten o’clock at night.

Wu Yu yawned. Zhou Buqi keenly noticed and chuckled, “There’s a coffee shop over there; the decor looks pretty good.”

Looking at it, it really was.

Wu Yu loved this kind of petty bourgeois atmosphere. After half a cup of coffee, her spirits lifted, and she excitedly chatted with Zhou Buqi about many past events from high school.

Unfortunately, the two had little interaction in high school. Moreover, Zhou Buqi was a reborn person, so his high school memories were already blurry. He had no common ground to talk about.

They finally managed to endure until the movie started, and the two entered the cinema.

The movie was excellent, definitely a blockbuster of its era. It was a pity that the plot and character development were slightly lacking, but it was still far superior to the “traffic blockbusters” of later generations.

“I don’t think it was as good as ‘Hero’,” Wu Yu said with some regret as they walked out of the cinema.

“Don’t worry, there’ll be even worse ones later.”

Zhou Buqi casually brushed her off, but in his heart, he was secretly calculating, “What should I do?”

“Should I just say, ‘Let’s get a room’?”

Looking at her feigned modesty and affected behavior, it’s probably a no-go.

“It’s still early, let’s get some late-night snack.”

“Early? It’s already past midnight!”

“Exactly, isn’t a new day just beginning?”

Wu Yu immediately shook off his hand and huffily said, “Zhou Buqi, what do you mean by this? Do you have bad intentions?”

Zhou Buqi put on a serious face. “Stop messing around. I’m a very proper person. Come on, it’s late at night; it’d be a shame not to have some Malatang at this hour.”

“You said we’d go back to school after the movie, didn’t you?”

“Are you stupid? The school gates closed ages ago.”

“You…”

“Alright, we’ll go back after the late-night snack.”

Zhou Buqi forcibly pulled her to a roadside Malatang stall.

There’s nothing a bowl of Malatang can’t solve!

If not, then two bowls!

After finishing one bowl, Zhou Buqi asked, “Are you full? Want some more?”

“No more, I’ll get pimples.” Wu Yu’s spirits were somewhat low, and she looked worried.

Zhou Buqi put on the air of an old scholar and said profoundly, “The reason for pimples is endocrine imbalance. As long as you regulate it, you’ll be fine.”

“How do you regulate it?”

“As the ancients said, when yin and yang merge…”

“Get lost!”

Wu Yu almost splashed a bowl of Malatang soup onto Zhou Buqi’s face.

Zhou Buqi laughed heartily and said loudly, “Boss, check please! It’s not easy for you to be open in the middle of the night, so don’t bother with the change. Just round it down for me.”

Wu Yu felt dizzy. She had never seen such a shameless person.

Outside the Malatang stall, the weather turned cold, and a chilly wind blew.

Wu Yu pleaded, holding his arm, “Let’s go back to school. It’s too late. We already agreed, you can’t go back on your word.”

Zhou Buqi nodded in agreement and said, “Alright, I can’t go back on my word either. You go back then. I’ll go to that hotel up ahead and get a room for the night.”

“What?”

Wu Yu was dumbfounded.

In the middle of the night, how was she supposed to get back to school by herself? What kind of person was this!

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you leaving?” Zhou Buqi turned his head and looked at her strangely.

Wu Yu stomped her foot, gritted her teeth, and glared fiercely. “You’re ruthless!”

Zhou Buqi grinned and said, “Are you coming with me?”

“Consider me defeated!”

Wu Yu cursed impolitely. Zhou Buqi then unceremoniously stepped forward and put his arm around her. She didn’t refuse, coldly saying, “I’m going to a five-star hotel!”

“No problem!”

At a time like this, he couldn’t be stingy. This was a big deal, and he couldn’t be careless.

The two walked around for a while but couldn’t find a five-star hotel. Zhou Buqi grew a little impatient. “I said, do you even know where it is?”

Wu Yu retorted angrily, “I’ve never been here, how would I know?”

“Just keep pretending!”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t be bothered to expose her. Finally, he spotted a rather luxurious hotel ahead, marked with three stars. “This one will do. If we walk any further, I’ll be dog-tired.”

Wu Yu’s momentum suddenly deflated, and her face became pitiful again, showing extreme reluctance.

“Alright, stop being so affected!”

Zhou Buqi was very impatient. He pulled her into the hotel and booked a double king-size room at the front desk.

…

“No, no, let’s just go back to school.”

After getting the room card and getting on the elevator, Wu Yu started to resist again, clutching Zhou Buqi’s hand and pleading bitterly, like a helpless child.

Zhou Buqi thought to himself, “Why don’t you go apply to Beijing Film Academy? You’d definitely sweep the Golden Rooster, Golden Horse, and Golden Broom awards.”

“The room fee’s already paid, what’s the point of going back? It’s over five hundred yuan!”

Zhou Buqi pulled her with one hand, swiped the card, opened the door, and closed it with the other. Without turning on the light, he immediately pinned her against the wall and leaned in for a kiss.

“Huh?”

“Why is it cold?”

Listening to the sound, the other person was crying like a cat?

Zhou Buqi was stunned for a moment. What did this mean? Was she getting into character? Role-playing? Was she too dedicated?

However, he still turned on the light, and then he saw Wu Yu standing by the door, her face tear-streaked, her eyes red and swollen, biting her red lips tightly, crying incessantly.

“Why are you crying?” Zhou Buqi felt a surge of annoyance.

Wu Yu said, “We can’t do this. I… we might not be very suitable.”

Zhou Buqi angrily retorted, “Nonsense! I’m compatible with everyone!”

“We can’t do this…”

“Alright, stop pretending.”

“What am I pretending about?” Wu Yu’s crying stopped, and she looked up in astonishment.

Zhou Buqi pulled her into the bedroom and directly pushed her onto the large bed. “I’ve seen plenty of seductive sluts like you…”

“Who are you calling that?”

Wu Yu immediately sat up, wiped away her tears, and glared with wide eyes, cursing, “Zhou Buqi, say that again? What do you mean by that? I’ve suffered such a huge grievance, coming out to a hotel room with you, and you still want to verbally humiliate me? You… you’re a bastard, a scumbag, a jerk, a bastard!”

“How dare you…”

Zhou Buqi wasn’t to be outdone and was about to curse back, but looking at her face under the light, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

Washed by tears, her light makeup blurred, revealing her bare face, which was almost identical to the high school campus belle Senior Sister in his memories.

Youthfully delicate and charming.

There was none of the worldly allure of a woman from society.

“Could I have judged her wrong?”

“She’s really not a seductive slut?”

Zhou Buqi’s heart trembled. He realized he might have made a big mistake. However, being from the Northeast, “face” was paramount. Even if he was wrong, he couldn’t admit it. He snorted, “Damn it, go wash your face!”

“No!”

“Not moving? Or should I lend a hand and wash it for you?”

“Bastard!”

Wu Yu cursed again, then “whooshed” up and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it from the inside.

Zhou Buqi sat on the bed, replaying the events of the night and Wu Yu’s various reactions.

“That’s not right. If she’s not gold-digging, why did she actively provoke me? Is it a tactic to catch by letting go?”

A full twenty minutes later, Wu Yu emerged from the bathroom, her face like the bright moon, with skin like snow and a countenance like a flower, her bones delicate and spirit clear. Where was there even a hint of worldliness?

“Could I really have misjudged her?”

Zhou Buqi remained calm, pointing to the bedside. “Sit, I want to talk to you.”

Wu Yu walked over like a punching bag and sat down, saying indifferently, “There’s nothing to talk about with a scumbag like you. If you want to do it, just do it. I’ll just consider myself defiled by a pig.”

“Do you think you’re some innocent little girl?” Zhou Buqi was very angry. After blurting it out, he realized it was wrong and quickly raised his voice. “You were clearly the one who actively seduced me, and now you’re blaming me?”

“Who seduced you?” Wu Yu widened her beautiful eyes.

“Didn’t you call me? And keep sending texts? Didn’t you ask me out tonight? Weren’t you gold-digging?”

“I… uh…”

Wu Yu was speechless for a moment. Thinking about it, it seemed he was right. Her face instantly flushed red. She finally realized and repeatedly waved her small hands. “No… that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you want to do?”

“I… I…”

“Spit it out!”

“I wanted to ask you for a favor.”

Wu Yu’s face was flushed, filled with shame. She hadn’t expected that she was the one who started today’s misunderstanding.

“A favor?” Zhou Buqi looked at her strangely.

Wu Yu lowered her head and whispered, “My dad works at Wanchao Group. He’s the vice president of the procurement department. I heard that the manager of the procurement department resigned some time ago, and I wanted to ask you to help…”

“You’re overthinking it,” Zhou Buqi snorted. “That position has long been eyed by my Coward older brother. Give up!”

“Ah, really…”

Wu Yu’s gaze became somewhat unfocused.

Zhou Buqi looked at her deeply, feeling a bit uncertain, and asked, “I remember in high school, quite a few people pursued you.”

“Mm.”

“Speak up!”

“Huh? Say what?”

“How many boyfriends have you had?”

“N-no… none…”

“Stop lying, who are you trying to fool?”

Wu Yu felt a bit wronged and retorted indignantly, “Who’s lying? I really haven’t.”

“So, you’ve never gotten a room with anyone else?” Zhou Buqi said with a mocking expression.

“No!” Wu Yu’s face flushed red, and she glared at him resentfully. “Are you happy now?”

“Happy my ass!”

Zhou Buqi cursed, but he was speaking the truth.

“I’m screwed.”

“Tonight is going to be a complete disaster.”

If she were a seductive slut, it would be fine; he wouldn’t have to take responsibility, just a fleeting romance. But Senior Sister Wu’s situation was different. If he touched her, he would have to bear responsibility. He truly couldn’t bring himself to casually defile a girl’s innocence.

“Ah, brother is a good person! A really good man!”

Zhou Buqi praised his own character wildly in his heart, his face cold. “Alright, go to sleep. So much trouble!”

Wu Yu’s body trembled, her face turned pale, as if she had given up. She started taking off her clothes. “I understand.”

Zhou Buqi was truly infuriated. “Don’t try that with me! I’ll sleep on the left, you sleep on the right. Whoever crosses the line is a dog!”

After saying that, he didn’t care if she could see or not and directly turned off the light.

It was pitch black. He didn’t even shower, just took off his clothes, got into bed, wrapped himself in the large blanket, and started to sleep.

The bedroom was quiet.

Zhou Buqi thought she would sit on the chair all night.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to fall asleep, the soft bed bounced a few times, and the blanket was pulled.

Immediately, a fragrant scent wafted over.

Zhou Buqi, who had just started to feel sleepy, instantly became wide awake, all drowsiness gone. He couldn’t help but curse inwardly, “Damn it! Are you going to let me sleep or not!”

Not long after, a faint and steady breathing sound came from the other end of the blanket.

Wu Yu had actually fallen asleep.

“She’s got some nerve!”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t take it anymore. He got up and took a cold shower. After returning, he tossed and turned, finally falling asleep only when dawn broke.

Chapter 17: My Bad Luck

The next day, he woke up; it was already past nine in the morning.

Opening his eyes, Zhou Buqi immediately turned his head and found the other side of the bed empty. Only a few strands of dark hair remained on the pillow, proving that a woman had slept in the bed last night.

Stretching, Zhou Buqi got out of bed, a frown on his face.

Why was the room filled with a strange smell?

He didn’t pay much attention to it and went straight to the bathroom, intending to quickly wash up and then leave.

There was still a pile of things to do at the university.

To his surprise, the bathroom was locked from the inside. Listening closely, he could hear the sound of running water.

It seemed Wu Yu was taking a shower.

“Hurry up!” Zhou Buqi called out impatiently.

“Oh! Just a moment! I’ll be done soon,” Wu Yu’s muffled voice replied. Less than three minutes later, the door opened.

Her hair was wet and wrapped in a towel. A large bath towel covered her entire body, revealing her fair, rounded shoulders. Her figure was truly excellent.

“I… I’m sorry,” she apologized the moment she saw him.

“How inexplicable,” Zhou Buqi snorted. He went in to wash up, brushing his teeth and washing his face, but couldn’t help glancing towards the shower. There were still some white suds on the floor, emitting a fragrant scent.

After just a few glances, he cursed inwardly, feeling his temper rising.

Ultimately, Senior Sister Wu Yu hadn’t done anything wrong. As a daughter, it was only natural for her to want to secure a good position for her father.

“Forget it, I won’t scold her anymore.” Zhou Buqi took a towel to wipe his face, deciding to be nice to Wu Yu. After all, they were high school and university alumni; it was a kind of fate.

However, when he walked out of the bathroom, he bristled.

“Wu Yu! Look what you’ve done!” Zhou Buqi roared in anger!

On the bedsheet, there was a pool of blood.

The most crucial thing was that he had honestly just slept last night, doing nothing at all.

No wonder she apologized; she had made a mistake!

Wu Yu’s face was as red as an apple. She stammered, lowering her head, “I… I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean to. I didn’t expect my period to suddenly start.”

“Are you stupid? Can’t you keep track of your dates?”

“I did count; it was still a few days away. Maybe… maybe the stress yesterday was too much.”

“I…” Zhou Buqi almost swore. He took a deep breath to suppress his anger.

He was even more stressed!

Last night, the wafts of body fragrance from the same quilt had almost kept him awake.

Seeing his anger, Wu Yu pouted and snorted, “Fine, I’ll pay for the bedsheet myself, it won’t be your money, you stingy king!”

“Is it about the money?”

“Huh?” Wu Yu didn’t quite understand.

Zhou Buqi felt extremely wronged but couldn’t say it outright. He waved his hand, “Let’s go, check out! Consider it my bad luck!”

Now he was going to be embarrassed.

When he checked in yesterday, the front desk girl’s gaze hadn’t been very friendly; she clearly thought he was a Scumbag trying to trick a young girl.

Now that the bedsheet was stained, he couldn’t clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

Sure enough, when he went downstairs to check out, the front desk girl’s face was cold, as if she wanted to devour him.

Zhou Buqi wanted to explain but didn’t know how to start. He could only shout in his heart, “I’ve been wronged! I’ve been wronged! I’m really a good person!”

Coincidentally, Wu Yu walked over at that moment, bit her lip lightly, and whispered, “It’s my fault, please don’t be angry anymore.”

The front desk girl almost fainted upon hearing that!

Was there no justice left in the world?

Have Scumbags’ deceptive tactics become so advanced now?

Had he brainwashed her?

Even more hateful was that this Scumbag didn’t give her a good look, as if he had suffered a great loss.

There was no justice to speak of.

Zhou Buqi shivered, feeling that if he stayed a moment longer, the front desk girl might even call the police. He quickly said, “How much? I’ll pay for the damages.”

“500 yuan!”

“Are you messing with me?”

“See for yourself!” The front desk girl pointed to a large sign nearby. It clearly stated that damaging bedsheets required a compensation of 500 yuan.

“I’ve truly had the worst luck imaginable!” Zhou Buqi was so angry he laughed.

The room fee was 500, the bedsheet 500. Not only did he get no ‘meat’ after booking the room, but he also lost 1000 yuan.

In this life and the previous one, he had never made such a losing deal.

He paid and left. Wu Yu followed closely behind, jogging to catch up and calling out, “Please don’t be angry anymore, it was my fault. Isn’t apologizing enough?”

Upon hearing this, the front desk girl almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.

“I’ve been tricked, tricked! I’ve hunted geese all my life, only to have my eyes pecked out by a goose!” Zhou Buqi sighed to the sky, wanting to cry but having no tears. He then noticed Wu Yu hurrying to catch up and link arms with him, but he immediately shook her off.

Wu Yu persisted, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him, “Please don’t be angry, okay?”

Zhou Buqi paused, looking down at her delicate and pretty face. To say he wasn’t tempted would be an absolute lie, but he couldn’t stand it. He snorted, “What were you doing earlier? Why weren’t you more proactive last night?”

Wu Yu also felt shy. She hugged him for a moment then let go, whispering, “Zhou Buqi, I know you’re a good person, please don’t be so fierce with me, okay?”

“Don’t just hand out ‘good person’ cards, I don’t want one.” Zhou Buqi pouted with a look of disdain. “‘Scumbag’ sounds better to my ears.”

Wu Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You like being scolded? How do you have such a hobby?”

Zhou Buqi’s mouth twitched, his facial muscles nearly contorted. He nodded heavily, “Alright, Wu Yu, you’re ruthless! I, Zhou Buqi, am convinced! We’ll meet again someday, farewell!”

With that, he waved his hand, hailed a taxi, and left without her.

Wu Yu was left standing there, stomping her foot in frustration, her face filled with resentment. After thinking about everything that had happened from last night until just now, she was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

“This Second Young Master Zhou, he’s quite amusing in his foolishness!”

…

“Dark circles, didn’t get any rest last night, did you?” Guo Pengfei said to Zhou Buqi, his tone sarcastic, clearly out of jealousy.

Zhou Buqi remained calm, saying lightly, “Of course, it was a piece of cake, easily done.” Then, he gritted his teeth and added, “Booking the room cost me 1000 yuan!”

“That much? Did you go to the Second Ring Road?”

“No, 500 yuan was for the bedsheet.”

“You ruined the bedsheet?”

“Not ruined, but it got stained with blood, and the hotel demanded compensation.”

Guo Pengfei seemed to understand something and gave a thumbs-up. “Amazing! Truly amazing! You really must treat her well, don’t abandon her after starting something.”

Zhou Buqi’s face darkened.

“Oh, right, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Store Manager Zhao contacted me. She said your phone was unreachable, so I told her you were out with a girl, probably with your phone turned off.”

“Which Store Manager Zhao?”

“From the Telecom business hall.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “Forget it, let’s leave some scraps for the University Student Union to pick up, otherwise we won’t be able to get by later. I’m going to do something big, and I can’t do it without the support of the University Student Union.”

Guo Pengfei said, “Not our university.”

“Huh?”

“It’s Beijing Institute of Technology.”

“What’s going on?” Zhou Buqi’s eyes lit up.

Guo Pengfei said, “The campus agent over at Beijing Institute of Technology hasn’t been doing very well. Coincidentally, Store Manager Zhao is good friends with the store manager of the Beijing Institute of Technology business hall, so she mentioned your situation. She wanted to ask if you’d be interested in continuing to be a campus agent for Campus Cards over there.”

“There’s such a good thing?” Zhou Buqi cheered in surprise, exclaiming how incredible it was.

Had his luck turned around?

Didn’t they say that when a woman has her period, it brings bad luck to men?

The 1000 yuan was clear proof; Zhou Buqi was almost resigned to his fate.

He didn’t expect such a pleasant surprise to fall from the sky!

Another source of income?

The 201 Campus Card was quite special, with more detailed regional divisions. The Campus Card for Beijing University of Science and Technology could only be used near Beijing University of Science and Technology. If used at other universities, the price wouldn’t be as favorable.

Therefore, it was difficult for Zhou Buqi to promote Beijing University of Science and Technology’s Campus Cards elsewhere.

If the Beijing Institute of Technology business hall had an intention to cooperate, that would be even better.

It was like being given money!

“I’ll go ask Sister Zhao about the specifics. You immediately contact as many people as you can reach for me.”

“This is class time.”

“Tell them to skip class! Just say… just say that there are beauties galore over there, and I’m taking them to try their luck at finding love. Maybe they’ll even win a beauty’s heart.”

“That’s a science and engineering university; girls are even scarcer there than here,” Guo Pengfei reminded him weakly.

“It’s fine, let’s just paint a grand picture first.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand without looking back and went to the Telecom business hall to inquire about the situation in detail.

Inside the business hall, Zhou Buqi was welcomed with the pomp usually reserved for visiting leaders.

There was no other way; the news had spread.

A formidable campus agent had appeared at Beijing University of Science and Technology, selling nearly 4000 201 Campus Cards in one day, with a total value exceeding 280,000 yuan!

All the university agents from dozens of universities in the entire Haidian University District combined didn’t have sales as high as his.

In just one day, he had already become a legend among university campus agents.

“Legend? Haha, I wouldn’t dare claim that. However, if Beijing Institute of Technology needs help, I’m willing to get involved. We’re all university students, after all; we share blessings and face difficulties together. I want to bring the benefits that all teachers and students at Beijing University of Science and Technology can enjoy to Beijing Institute of Technology as well.” Inside the Telecom business hall, Zhou Buqi sat on a chair, holding a cup of coffee, speaking with righteous conviction and authority.

The room was a little quiet.

A moment later, Store Manager Zhao Yuehong, along with two staff members, gave him a warm round of applause.

Zhou Buqi sighed, “It’s just a pity that this kind of benefit can only be enjoyed by students from Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology. Students from other universities can’t be taken care of.”

Zhao Yuehong immediately understood. “You want to be an agent for more universities?”

Zhou Buqi was excited. “Is that possible?”

Zhao Yuehong said, “I don’t know. I have a good relationship with Brother Zhang over at Beijing Institute of Technology, so I can help you connect with him. I can’t contact other universities. If you want to do that, you’ll have to find the regional manager.”

Zhou Buqi fell silent.

He couldn’t just approach a regional manager. Being a campus agent wasn’t just about boosting business; it also had policy implications from the government supporting education and cultivating students’ abilities.

It was one thing to make connections privately, but if a regional manager directly appointed him, the nature of it would change. It would become a commercial partnership, not educational support for a social practice activity. It would be like many other campus agents who work with society at large, requiring registration, contracts, and tax declarations, which would be very troublesome.

It seemed he still had to rely on himself.

Chapter 18: The Strange Freshman

Zhou Buqi handled the Telecom business hall, and Guo Pengfei was in charge of contacting people.

Half an hour later, a dozen or so university students set off from Beijing University of Science and Technology, heading towards Beijing Institute of Technology.

On the way, Guo Pengfei told him, “It’s midweek now, many people are busy with classes or choosing courses. In short, they’re very busy, so most of them aren’t coming. These dozen or so people skipped class to come out for social practice.”

“Hmm, the rest are the elites. We should make a note of them. If there are similar part-time opportunities in the future, we should prioritize them.”

Zhou Buqi said this very sincerely.

In his opinion, university was all about passing with a score of sixty. University students who had never skipped class were basically bookworms and wouldn’t achieve much in society.

Especially those university students who had collaborated before, were those Campus Cards sold for nothing? The sales tactics Zhou Buqi taught them, wouldn’t they just treat them as after-dinner conversation? Didn’t they gain any experience or insight at all?

When faced with a choice between Zhou Buqi’s proposition and their academic commitments, they chose their studies, accepting the consequences. This only showed that their vision was too narrow, their horizons too limited, or their courage and boldness insufficient.

These shortcomings were fatal flaws for entrepreneurs.

In contrast, Guo Pengfei was much better; he had already become Zhou Buqi’s capable assistant. He said in a low voice, “We can’t do it for free this time. We have to pay them, otherwise, it’ll be hard to manage the team.”

“Yes, I know.”

Zhou Buqi nodded.

Soon, they arrived at the Telecom business hall at Beijing Institute of Technology.

The store manager, surnamed Zhang, was under forty and was chatting animatedly with a university student. Two store clerks were busy organizing Campus Cards nearby, probably over a thousand cards.

It looked like they were recruiting campus agents.

But only one person had come. Was he qualified to be an agent for so many cards?

Zhou Buqi remained calm and went up to introduce himself.

Store Manager Zhang’s eyes lit up, then he looked a little awkward. He stood up to shake hands, “Brother Zhou, you really came, haha, please sit! Sit! What would you like to drink? Coffee?”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, “No thanks. My team is still waiting outside. We’ll just pick up the cards and leave, no need to waste time.”

“This… this…”

Store Manager Zhang looked somewhat apologetic, rubbing his hands together.

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow and glanced at the university student sitting upright, quietly drinking coffee with his head down. “Store Manager Zhang, is there a problem? Sister Zhao said she wanted me to come help. Didn’t you two make arrangements?”

Store Manager Zhang said with difficulty, “My campus agent recruitment here hasn’t been very smooth, so I wanted you to come and help. But now that Little Liu is here, the problem isn’t big, haha. Anyway, this is Beijing Institute of Technology’s business hall. Having someone from Beijing University of Science and Technology act as an agent here doesn’t comply with our regulations.”

Zhou Buqi understood. It turned out they had found a suitable campus agent and wanted to kick him aside.

This guy drinking coffee?

Is he reliable?

They trust him that much?

At this moment, the student stood up, extended his right hand, and smiled, “My name is Liu Wenbo. I’m a freshman at Beijing Institute of Technology. I just registered today and came to see Brother Zhang. You’re Zhou Buqi? From Beijing University of Science and Technology?”

Zhou Buqi shook his hand, feeling a little dazed.

Liu Wenbo?

This guy is a freshman?

Seriously?

Looking at his age, he must be twenty-three or twenty-four, right?

And his eyes, his demeanor, were as mature as any adult in society. He didn’t have any of the awkwardness of a university student.

Liu Wenbo noticed Zhou Buqi’s hesitation, took out his student ID card from his pocket, and said with a chuckle, “I really am a freshman. Just arrived today.”

Store Manager Zhang added, “Yes, Little Liu really is a freshman. I didn’t know he would be coming this year, otherwise, I wouldn’t have contacted Beijing University of Science and Technology to find you.”

The subtext was: now that Liu Wenbo was here, Beijing Institute of Technology no longer needed him.

Zhou Buqi was very displeased. He looked at the student ID card.

He really was a freshman!

Software Engineering major, School of Computer Science, Yanjing Institute of Technology.

“Student Liu, yesterday I sold four thousand Campus Cards at the University of Science and Technology. My unique sales model became a grand sight at Beijing University of Science and Technology. I wonder… how do you plan to be a campus agent for Campus Cards? Do you have a sales team? Do you have any sales strategies?”

Zhou Buqi’s questions were pressing.

Liu Wenbo shook his head and chuckled, “I really don’t have one right now. I just arrived in Yanjing and came straight here after registering.”

Zhou Buqi pressed on, “Then what’s your goal? How many cards do you think you can sell as an agent?”

Liu Wenbo said casually, “One or two thousand cards shouldn’t be a problem.”

Zhou Buqi was slightly taken aback.

That’s quite a claim!

Guo Pengfei only sold over seventy Campus Cards when he was an agent last year.

He looked at Store Manager Zhang, who seemed to agree wholeheartedly, not thinking it was an exaggeration.

“Something’s fishy.”

Zhou Buqi quickly glanced at Liu Wenbo, sensing that this guy had quite the background. Could he be the Principal’s relative?

However, backing down was out of the question.

“Store Manager Zhang, what do you think about this matter today?” Zhou Buqi’s expression was somewhat stern.

“Little Zhou, about this matter today… Brother Zhang didn’t handle it well, I apologize. If I had known Little Liu was coming, would I still have needed to ask for your help? How about this, another day I’ll arrange a meal, Sister Zhao and I will treat you, specifically to apologize.”

Store Manager Zhang had a very gentle personality and a sincere attitude.

This made Zhou Buqi feel much better. He sighed, “Brother Zhang, it’s not that I don’t want to back down. My classmates are all waiting outside, a dozen or so people. They skipped class to come here. If they just go back like this, it wouldn’t be right.”

At this moment, Liu Wenbo spoke up, saying, “Brother Zhang, there’s no need for this. It’s not an exclusive agency. Since Student Zhou also wants to be an agent, and you two had an agreement, there’s no need to go back on your word. Just proceed as planned.”

“This…”

Store Manager Zhang was a little surprised.

The market at Beijing Institute of Technology was so big, and Zhou Buqi was coming on strong. If he snatched the market, what would you earn?

Liu Wenbo smiled and said, “I also want to see how Student Zhou’s team sells.”

As he spoke, he took out a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes and offered one.

Zhou Buqi had never intended to smoke in this life, but at this moment, he couldn’t refuse. He took it and lit it, his movements smooth, practiced, and natural. He took a drag, eyes narrowed.

The act of smoking made Liu Wenbo raise an eyebrow and nod. “Brother Zhang, let’s do it this way.”

Store Manager Zhang didn’t insist further. “Little Zhou, how many cards do you want?”

“Three different denominations, let’s start with five hundred of each. Twenty-five percent discount, right?” Zhou Buqi quoted a relatively conservative amount. After all, they were from another university, and it was difficult to get into many places without a student ID card.

“Alright.” Store Manager Zhang didn’t hesitate and told the clerks to prepare the goods. He also stated that with Sister Zhao’s connection, not much collateral was needed; only Zhou Buqi’s personal ID card would suffice.

While the phone cards were being prepared, Zhou Buqi had an idea. He lowered his voice and asked, “Brother Zhang, a quick question, what’s your relationship with Sister Zhao?”

Store Manager Zhang cleared his throat. “Middle school classmates.”

“Just classmates?” Zhou Buqi looked at him teasingly.

Store Manager Zhang said, “Really just classmates. Just the kind of classmates who have a good relationship.”

“Oh.” Zhou Buqi nodded, drawing out the last syllable. “That’s strange then.”

“What’s strange?” Store Manager Zhang was puzzled.

Zhou Buqi seemed hesitant, pausing for a long time before saying in a low voice, “Brother Zhang, let me tell you something, it’s a secret. When I came, Sister Zhao gave me a special task.”

“What task?”

“She said to mention her more in front of you, and then observe your reaction. Uh… to observe your reaction from a man’s perspective.”

As soon as he said this, Liu Wenbo, who was quietly drinking coffee nearby, almost spat it out.

Store Manager Zhang was an honest man, and his old face turned red. “What… what do you mean, Little Zhou, don’t mess around.”

“What am I messing around about?” Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes. “In my opinion, you two definitely have something going on. Otherwise, why would I have asked that in the first place?”

Store Manager Zhang said awkwardly, “No! Absolutely not!”

“Really not?”

“Really not!”

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “Brother Zhang, I think you don’t understand women. Think about it, why would Sister Zhao ask me to secretly pay attention to you? She definitely has feelings, but she’s thin-skinned and embarrassed. Maybe she’s reached middle age, experiencing the seven-year itch, and wants to find new passion.”

Store Manager Zhang was speechless with astonishment.

Zhou Buqi sighed, “Forget it, forget it. The flowers may be willing, but the water is not interested. Just pretend I didn’t say anything. But, Brother Zhang, you’re a man. I think you should be more proactive, like sending flowers or something. Or lipstick, perfume, chocolate would work too. Maybe it’ll work out?”

“Cough, cough…”

Store Manager Zhang, nearly forty, was flushed with embarrassment by a youngster.

“Are my cards counted? Alright, I’ll be leaving now.” Zhou Buqi stood up, then patted Store Manager Zhang’s shoulder, advising, “Brother Zhang, it’s not that I’m lecturing you, but at crucial moments, you need to be more of a man. Sister Zhao is not yet forty, you could say she’s still graceful and charming. In a few more years, if you want to reminisce about your school days, you won’t find that feeling anymore. Oh, never mind, never mind, you think about it yourself. I’m leaving.”

Liu Wenbo smiled, “Brother Zhang, I’m leaving too. I won’t bother you anymore, haha.”

…

Outside the business hall, Liu Wenbo quickened his pace and said with a smile, “What you said just now was fake, wasn’t it?”

Zhou Buqi turned to look at him. “You could tell?”

Liu Wenbo shook his head. “A feeling.”

Zhou Buqi snorted, “Between men and women, how can there be pure friendship? Especially old classmates for decades, hmph, there’s definitely some kind of feeling, more or less.”

“Brother Zhang is an honest man. It’s not good to tease him like that.”

“Who told him to provoke me first?”

Liu Wenbo was stunned for a moment. “You’re too vengeful. That’s not good.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “It’s not revenge, just a little prank. Maybe… I really can bring about a marriage. You might not know, but people call me a living matchmaker, most skilled at tying red strings.”

Liu Wenbo laughed and shook his head.

“You don’t believe me?”

“Heh heh.”

“This is a huge industry, with much better prospects than being a campus agent for Campus Cards,” Zhou Buqi revealed a small secret at the right time.

“Oh?”

Liu Wenbo raised an eyebrow and stared at him.

Zhou Buqi changed the subject and asked with a smile, “Who do you think will sell more Campus Cards, you or me?”

“This is my home turf,” Liu Wenbo said confidently.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Want to exchange numbers?”

“Sure.”

Chapter 19: I’m Back

Beijing Institute of Technology was a top-tier university, unlike second-tier, third-tier, or vocational colleges that were managed with strict discipline. The atmosphere here was relatively free. Moreover, during the freshman enrollment period, entry and exit were even more unrestricted.

Even the girls’ dormitory was like a bustling market, with people coming and going freely.

Looking around, female students in camisoles and ultra-short shorts were everywhere in the corridors, their dazzling white thighs and shoulders a chaotic, mesmerizing sight.

“Alright, that’s enough gawking. They’re not yours anyway! Hurry up and sell the cards! Split up!”

Zhou Buqi swallowed, pulled his gaze back, and sternly rebuked them, then assigned tasks to his two assistants.

After they both left, he secretly walked behind a girl he had been observing for a while, suddenly reached out and covered her eyes. “Guess who I am?”

“Huh? Who is it?”

“Haha, it’s… uh…”

Zhou Buqi let go of her, and as soon as she turned around, he was taken aback.

At first glance, her looks weren’t that great! On closer inspection, ha, they were even worse than at first glance.

She was actually a ‘back view killer’!

His lively thoughts immediately turned cold.

“Cough cough, hello, classmate. I’m Zhou Buqi, the agent for our school’s Telecom 201 Campus Phone Cards. I mainly wanted to ask for your help to show me the way. This is the girls’ dormitory, after all, and it wouldn’t be right for me to just wander in.”

Zhou Buqi quickly composed himself, adopting a proper manner.

“Oh, my name is Bai Jing.” She looked at Zhou Buqi blankly. “Are you here to sell phone cards?”

“Yes, this is my letter of authorization.”

Having lost his intention to flirt, Zhou Buqi began to work seriously. He first showed his letter of authorization, then photos of children from mountainous areas, instantly capturing the girl’s heart.

“So it’s for charity to help students, that’s really good.” Bai Jing’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

Zhou Buqi said with a serious expression, “That’s right. We’ll donate a portion of our income to the children in the mountainous areas, so they can have a better educational environment.”

“Okay, I’ll take you,” Bai Jing said, looking at him a few more times, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Zhou Buqi kept his gaze straight ahead, radiating integrity.

Women are all sentimental, and influenced by the photos of the impoverished children, they generously opened their purses.

Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Guo Pengfei calling. “What’s wrong? Something happened?”

“Zhou Buqi, what’s Liu Wenbo’s background?”

“Not very clear. What’s wrong?”

“That guy is a bit uncanny! Just now, we were promoting in a classroom, and we arrived first. But then, Liu Wenbo brought people in. He had no sales pitch, no tricks; he just directly said his name was Liu Wenbo and that he wanted to sell phone cards to earn some pocket money. Guess what happened? Everyone in the classroom paid up, and he sold sixty to seventy cards in one go.”

“This happened?” Zhou Buqi was greatly surprised.

Guo Pengfei said, “Do you think that guy is a relative of a school leader? How can he have such great influence? The way it looked, it was like a rush to buy.”

“Impossible. If he were a relative of a school leader, the students would only reject him.” Zhou Buqi frowned. “He has no sales tricks at all, just directly announced himself. He’s really quite uncanny. In that case, you should immediately avoid his sharp edge, keep your distance. Uh… how about this, I’m over here at the girls’ dormitory. People are naive, money is plentiful, come quickly.”

He hung up the phone, and when he suddenly turned his head, he was startled. Bai Jing’s not-so-pretty face was right beside him, her eyes filled with doubt. “Who’s naive?”

Zhou Buqi gave a noncommittal laugh. “I was praising you! Girls, aren’t they cuter when they’re a little naive?” Casually brushing it off, he then asked, “By the way, do you know Liu Wenbo?”

“Liu Wenbo…” Bai Jing furrowed her brows and scratched her head. “I think I’ve heard of him.”

At this moment, a girl in the dorm who was still taking out money heard it and suddenly said, “Senior Student Liu? Of course I know him! He’s our Beijing Institute of Technology’s hero!”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was stunned for a moment. “We’re not talking about the same person, are we? Aren’t you third-year students? He’s only a freshman.”

Bai Jing also remembered at this moment, suddenly realizing and saying, “Oh, it’s Senior Student Liu! I know, I know! Yes, I heard a long time ago that he would re-apply to Beijing Institute of Technology. I didn’t expect him to really come back. Where is he?”

Zhou Buqi felt bewildered. “What are you talking about?”

Bai Jing said, “Senior Student Liu is truly a senior student. When I first came to Beijing Institute of Technology, I heard his story from the Senior Students of the Student Union; he’s an old legend. Back then, he studied in the Department of Communication Engineering. At that time, there was no campus network yet, and internet cables were all pulled from outside, which was very expensive. To allow everyone to dial-up to the internet, he self-made IP cards. He made tens of thousands of them and even sold them to Beijing Foreign Studies University and Renmin University of China.”

Zhou Buqi was stunned. “Self-made IP cards? And he succeeded?”

“He succeeded!”

The other girls in the dorm said in unison, with an unspeakable pride.

Zhou Buqi gasped in surprise.

My goodness!

This Liu Wenbo, his methods are so unconventional?

In those years, the mainstream internet access method in China was dial-up internet. You could use IP phone cards to access the internet, just like making a phone call: you entered your account and password, and billing would start. It was usually eight cents a minute, terribly expensive.

But you can’t just self-make IP cards! And you certainly can’t sell them! That’s illegal!

Sure enough, he then heard a female classmate say, “In less than two months, he was discovered. I heard the school pleaded for him, but he infringed upon the interests of a large monopoly group, and they wanted to ‘kill the chicken to warn the monkey,’ so he was directly sentenced to over a year.”

“Sentenced?”

Zhou Buqi was astonished. “Yes, he went to jail.” Bai Jing thought for a moment. “But at that time, he was a hero in the hearts of all the students in the school. Because of his cards, everyone got a lot of benefits during that period. It’s a pity we were too young and missed out.”

Zhou Buqi asked, “What benefits? Just internet fees?”

Another girl interjected, saying with a laugh, “Quite a lot! For example, calling to apply for QQ numbers and then selling them to classmates, haha.”

Zhou Buqi’s reaction to this was rather calm. He mused, “So that means this Liu Wenbo, after getting out of jail, took the college entrance exam again and re-enrolled in Beijing Institute of Technology?”

“Yes, pretty much. When he left back then, he said that he would come back, and it seems the school leaders were quite supportive. Senior Brother Liu is a talent, after all; he’s very capable. Even if he made a small mistake, it doesn’t matter.”

So many years had passed, and who knew how much of it was distorted by rumor, or how much credibility their statements had.

Self-made 201 cards?

Zhou Buqi found it hard to believe. 201 cards had account numbers and passwords and needed to correspond one-to-one with database information. How could he self-make them? Could he even hack into the database and modify data? If it were an IC card, it might be possible.

It seemed Guo Pengfei could do it, by simulating with a simulated microcontroller, which could automatically recharge and also automatically change card numbers to prevent detection.

In any case, there was no doubt that Liu Wenbo was very wild and daring back then. He offended a monopoly group, and after being released from prison, he could still re-take the college entrance exam; he was quite lucky.

Ultimately, it was still because he was young.

The country urgently needed high-end technical talents at that time. He made a small mistake; a punishment was sufficient, and he should still be nurtured.

After continuously visiting the girls’ dormitories on one floor, Zhou Buqi sold over one hundred cards, with a total value exceeding 6,000 yuan.

Then, he received a call from Guo Pengfei. “Come over here, something happened.”

“What’s going on?”

“It seems to be the Student Union. They’re also agents for Campus Cards, and they can’t compete, so it’s about to turn into a fight.”

“Where are you?”

“Over by the library.”

“I’ll be right there. Remember, absolutely do not resort to violence!”

Zhou Buqi warned him, then hurriedly left. On the way, he called Liu Wenbo and explained the situation.

Liu Wenbo didn’t decline either. “Don’t worry, I’ll go take a look.”

…

When Zhou Buqi arrived, Liu Wenbo had already arrived early.

With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, showing no sign of tension or hostility, he squinted his eyes and asked indifferently, “What’s your name?”

“Who are you?”

This student from the Beijing Institute of Technology Student Union had a bad temper, and seeing Liu Wenbo’s arrogant demeanor, he felt a bit disgusted.

“Are you from the Student Union?”

“So what if I am?”

“University Student Union? Or from which faculty?”

“From the External Relations Department of the University Student Union, Liu Siyuan!”

“Alright.”

Liu Wenbo nodded, then took out his phone and dialed a number. “Second Brother, is there someone named Liu Siyuan in your Student Union? Uh, yes, from the External Relations Department. He doesn’t seem very friendly. You’d better come over directly.”

Zhou Buqi stood in the distance, watching this scene with mixed feelings.

My heart aches.

What the heck is going on? I’m the one who’s reborn! I’m the male protagonist of this era!

Shouldn’t I be the one to step forward now and publicly humiliate everyone?

This Liu Wenbo is too good at stealing the spotlight, isn’t he?

Was the protagonist’s halo given to the wrong person?

Five minutes later, a group of people arrived, scattered and looking very rushed; all of them had run there.

Liu Siyuan, along with these few people from the External Relations Department, were still constantly shouting, yelling for Guo Pengfei and his group to get lost, and telling Liu Wenbo to go mind his own business and not embarrass Beijing Institute of Technology.

Then, a kick came flying over.

Liu Siyuan was furious. He looked back and was immediately stunned. “Qu… Senior Student Qu?”

The person who arrived was none other than the President of the Beijing Institute of Technology University Student Union, Senior Student Qu Gang, who was already a fourth-year student.

“What nonsense are you spouting here?”

Qu Gang’s eyes were bloodshot; he was extremely angry.

Liu Siyuan’s arrogant demeanor immediately crumbled. He said aggrievedly, “Senior Student Qu, they’re from another school, and they came to our school to act as agents for Campus Cards, and they’re stealing business from our Student Union…”

“It’s not your place to speak! You can’t use the name of the University Student Union!” Qu Gang, true to his name, had a very firm temper and kicked him again.

Liu Siyuan quickly dodged, his face turning ashen. At this moment, he also came to his senses, staring blankly at the smoking guy who had just made the call, his expression bewildered.

Then, Qu Gang opened his arms and walked towards Liu Wenbo, with tears in his eyes. “Boss, you’re finally back.”

The other Beijing Institute of Technology students who didn’t understand were all stunned and felt bewildered.

He was the President of the University Student Union, after all, the ‘boss’ of all students in the school.

The boss’s boss, who is that?

Liu Wenbo extinguished his cigarette butt, smiled, went up and hugged Qu Gang, and asked, “How are those guys from our dorm doing?”

“Hmm, they’re alright. Third Brother got a recommendation for postgraduate studies, Fourth Brother’s interview also passed, and he’s going to China Mobile for an internship soon.”

“What about you? What are your plans?”

“My family wants me to go abroad to continue my studies. I applied to Stanford.”

“Hmm, that’s good.”

Liu Wenbo nodded, turned his head to look at the surrounding university students who were watching, and said with a natural expression, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Liu Wenbo. Hmm, I’m back.”

So he was the legendary Senior Student Liu!

The crowd was excited.

Chapter 20: The Entrepreneurial Trio

Sales at Beijing Institute of Technology didn’t meet expectations. Under pressure from Liu Wenbo, only a little over 1,200 cards were sold, with sales exceeding 80,000 yuan and profits just over 20,000 yuan.

This time, Zhou Buqi wasn’t stingy. He set aside 2,000 yuan for charity, and the rest of the funds were divided equally!

There were 14 people in total, and each received 1,357 yuan!

The moment the money was distributed, the students almost forgot to breathe.

They struck it rich!

In those days, the average university student’s monthly living expenses were only around four hundred yuan. Such a large income was enough for their living expenses for an entire semester.

Most of them were second-year students, with a few third-year students. But under the corrupting influence of money, they all submitted. They were utterly obedient to Zhou Buqi, this freshman, and collectively shouted: “Boss Zhou!”

They were practically shouting “Long live!”

However, Zhou Buqi didn’t feel much excitement. Instead, he was a bit dispirited, mainly because he was shaken by Liu Wenbo. He felt as if his luck had been stolen.

That guy seemed even wilder than him.

Just as they were about to leave Beijing Institute of Technology, Liu Wenbo called: “Are you leaving? If not, let’s grab a meal together?”

“You’re not trying to seize my luck, are you?”

“What?”

“Do you have superpowers?”

“Huh?”

“Let me tell you, I’m the protagonist of this era!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Are you eating or not?”

“Hmph! Who’s afraid of you? I’m at the main entrance!”

“Just wait, you’re baffling.”

After hanging up, Zhou Buqi told the other students to return to school, keeping only Guo Pengfei to back him up. He said, “I remember there are street vendors over there. Let’s go take a look and buy an amulet to ward off evil.”

“You still believe in that?”

Guo Pengfei looked at him as if he were an idiot.

Zhou Buqi looked up at the sky, a wronged expression on his face. “You don’t understand. My achievements are overshadowing the master!”

…

With two liang of baijiu in his stomach, Zhou Buqi felt at ease.

Liu Wenbo’s alcohol tolerance was quite poor; he was already slurring his words. After some probing, Zhou Buqi confirmed that Liu Wenbo hadn’t time-traveled and didn’t have superpowers. He simply had a bold style, reminiscent of early domestic entrepreneurs from the 1980s.

“Little Liu, how many cards did you sell?” Zhou Buqi, with his excellent alcohol tolerance, was in a good mood.

“Not as many as you, less than a thousand.”

Liu Wenbo seemed to have an alcohol allergy; he refused to drink any more.

“Heh heh.”

Zhou Buqi glanced at Guo Pengfei, looking smug.

What was this called?

This was the aura and strength of a protagonist in a great era!

This was Beijing Institute of Technology, Liu Wenbo’s home ground. But so what? As soon as Boss Zhou made his move, he could immediately turn the tables and take control!

Guo Pengfei curled his lips and said, “Mhm, mhm, Boss Zhou is amazing, I’m impressed!”

Liu Wenbo deeply agreed, giving Zhou Buqi a thumbs up. “Among all the university students I’ve met, you’re the best.”

“Thanks.” Zhou Buqi smiled. “Come on, drink! Drink!”

“No more, no more!”

Liu Wenbo pulled out a cigarette, offered one, and said, “Let’s talk about something serious.”

Zhou Buqi smoked, narrowing his eyes at him. “What serious business?”

“Aren’t you planning to start a business?”

“What’s that got to do with you?”

“I want to partner with you.”

“Haha!”

Zhou Buqi burst out laughing.

Liu Wenbo was startled. “What are you laughing at?”

Zhou Buqi took two puffs of his cigarette and said indifferently, “I like to lay things out plainly. What makes you think you’re qualified to partner with me?”

Liu Wenbo frowned slightly. “I earned 20,000 yuan from this Campus Card agency. My connections here at Beijing Institute of Technology are solid enough. I also have some connections at Beijing Foreign Studies University and Renmin University of China.”

Zhou Buqi looked at him in surprise. “How do you want to cooperate?”

Liu Wenbo pondered for a moment, then looked at Guo Pengfei. “Will you two be together? How do you plan to cooperate?”

Guo Pengfei’s face stiffened, feeling very awkward.

He had no initiative whatsoever.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Buqi’s expression turned serious. He said earnestly, “He’s my entrepreneurial partner. We worked together as Campus Card agents, and you saw the results. I think… he can get 10% of the shares.”

Guo Pengfei couldn’t quite believe it, his eyes wide.

Liu Wenbo had ‘entrepreneurial’ experience as early as three years ago when he was in university, so he understood more. He nodded and said, “I’ll give you these 20,000 yuan I have, and I want 30%.”

“Impossible!”

Zhou Buqi flatly refused. “To be honest, whether you have this money or not doesn’t make much difference to me. And I won’t hesitate to tell you clearly, I’m building a grand venture, and the core entrepreneurial team can’t just be the three of us. Recently, I plan to establish a Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance around this university district. How do you think the shares should be divided then?”

“Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance?” Liu Wenbo’s eyes widened. “Recruiting talented individuals from ten universities?”

“Recruit one from each school, and then have them organize their own student teams within their respective universities. Maximize the use of cheap, or even free, high-quality university student resources.”

“Good idea.”

Liu Wenbo was thoroughly convinced.

Guo Pengfei repeatedly curled his lips. “It’s just a bit shameless.”

Zhou Buqi retorted angrily, “What do you know? I’m providing university students with ample opportunities for self-improvement, so they can integrate into society faster and better after graduation.”

Guo Pengfei said, “Anyway, you just want to exploit university student labor. I get it.”

“You can’t put it that way. Three years ago, if I had such an opportunity…” Liu Wenbo shook his head, seemingly not wanting to elaborate. “Never mind, tell me your ideas. Maybe you can convince me.”

Zhou Buqi said, “This university district, the area between the Third and Fourth Ring Roads, has one major advantage: its proximity to Zhongguancun. What is Zhongguancun? It’s a gathering place for IT tech guys! They’re a bunch of unromantic, iron-willed straight men, and more importantly, their incomes are very high.”

Liu Wenbo immediately understood and exclaimed, “Are you really going to play matchmaker? Help them find partners?”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Why not? IT guys are great! Gentle, honest, high income—they’re definitely the good men of this era, and I’m sure many of our female compatriots yearn for them. Of course, this is just the first step. What I want to build is a closed-loop business model, to maximize the potential of the university student demographic.”

Liu Wenbo lit another cigarette and smoked it silently.

Guo Pengfei’s eyes sparkled. “Starting a wedding planning company? Holding matchmaking events? That’s a great idea! Forget the IT guys in Zhongguancun, even in engineering universities like Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Tsinghua University, there are more men than women. This is the age when hormones are surging! If there’s a chance to go on a blind date with girls from other schools, they’d go even if they had to pay.”

“You hit the nail on the head with that one.”

Zhou Buqi snapped his fingers. “The prerequisite for successful entrepreneurship is to identify the urgent needs of the user group. What are the most urgent needs of university students right now? I think there are probably three directions: first, finding a job; second, studying; third, finding a partner. Finding a job is too broad, we can’t do that yet. The education industry is even more difficult; who can teach university students? At least postgraduate level, and teaching resources are hard to find. For us, leveraging the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance to build connections between universities and provide a platform for university students to find partners is the best choice.”

Guo Pengfei and Liu Wenbo truly looked a bit awestruck.

It was logical and sounded very reasonable.

Seemingly feasible!

With the fundamental support of university students, Zhongguancun’s geographical advantage, and the entrepreneurial direction of matchmaking, there was truly a great opportunity!

Zhou Buqi continued, “In my opinion, entrepreneurs need three essential qualities, and coincidentally, all three of us possess them, which greatly increases our chances of success.”

“What are they?”

“First, persistence.”

“And then?”

“Shamelessness.”

“Third?”

“Persistent shamelessness.”

“Cough, cough…”

Liu Wenbo coughed violently a few times, then threw his cigarette butt to the ground and stomped on it hard. “Damn it, I’m in! Zhou Buqi… Boss Zhou, give me 20% of the shares, and I’ll follow you from now on!”

“Fifteen percent at most.” Zhou Buqi shook his head.

Liu Wenbo, who understood some entrepreneurial common sense, frowned. “You’re taking 75%? Isn’t that too much? Such an equity structure isn’t healthy for an entrepreneurial team.”

Zhou Buqi said, “I’ll take 55%, ensuring absolute control in the initial stage. The other 20% will be held in trust, to attract more talent.”

Guo Pengfei immediately stated his position. “I agree.”

Liu Wenbo pondered for a moment, then took a deep breath. “Alright! It’s settled then!”

Zhou Buqi stood up and refilled both their glasses. “Since that’s the case, our small team is officially formed! Come on! Let’s drink to that!”

Guo Pengfei and Liu Wenbo exchanged glances, both feeling a bit wry.

Drinking with Northeasterners was definitely a mistake!

After downing it in one gulp, the world spun.

…

By the time they returned to school, it was already dark.

The two were from different colleges and parted ways on campus. As Zhou Buqi walked towards his dorm, a gentle breeze blew, and the alcohol went to his head. Every female university student he passed seemed like an innocent little girl.

Then, he noticed a girl squatting by the roadside, fixing her bicycle.

It looked like her bike chain had come off.

“Chain came off?” Zhou Buqi walked over with a chuckle, then, thinking of his encounter with Wu Yu, he mused, “Going too fast, easy to have a complete disaster.”

The girl wasn’t shy. “Classmate, could you help me?”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “No problem!”

He walked over, took a few glances, and easily put the bike chain back on.

“Thank you, classmate.” The girl thanked him happily.

“You’re welcome.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand grandly, then suddenly froze.

Huh?

This girl was incredibly beautiful!

Her black hair was lustrous, her willow-leaf eyebrows curved gracefully, her bright eyes sparkled, and her flower-like, oval face was as clear as jade. Her tender, smooth, snow-white skin was like ice and snow. She was at least 1.7 meters tall, and her figure was alluring enough. It was just a pity she was wearing long pants, so he couldn’t appreciate more of the ‘scenery.’

In that moment, with the alcohol going to his head, Zhou Buqi couldn’t resist teasing her: “Classmate, it’s better to ride this bicycle less often. How many girls’ ‘first times’ have been ruined by bicycles? Remember that, remember that!”

“Which college are you from?”

“School of Economics and Management. Why?”

“Which department?”

“Ha! Fallen for me? Just say it. Remember this, this is my phone number, XXXXXXXX, remember to contact me.”

The girl stared at him for a moment, then pushed her bike and walked away.

Chapter 21: The Beautiful Teacher

Zhou Buqi’s other three roommates had all arrived and were whispering about who their last roommate could be. It was the last day of registration, and he still hadn’t shown up. Was he trying to defy the heavens?

When the real person appeared, everyone was stunned.

Reeking of alcohol!

“Yo! You brothers are all here? Haha, had a bit to drink, I’m going to sleep first. We can talk about things tomorrow.” Zhou Buqi waved his hand, got into bed, and immediately fell asleep.

Mainly, he had been up too late with Wu Yu last night, lacking sleep, and was too tired.

This scene greatly astonished the other roommates, who couldn’t help but think, “Hmph! An idiot has arrived!”

A guy playing with his Motorola phone snorted coldly and said sarcastically, “Probably a local, right? People from The Capital are just like that, endlessly arrogant. What’s with the pretense? When I was in high school, I was also an influential figure in my area, with seven or eight followers and three or five girls trailing me. Wasn’t I tougher than him? Did I ever brag about such things?”

The other two roommates seemed as if they hadn’t heard a thing.

One roommate was engrossed in a collection of Wang Guozhen’s poems, reading with great interest. The other roommate was completely focused on assembling his desktop computer.

The next day, upon waking up, Zhou Buqi finally learned everyone’s names.

The guy wearing black-rimmed glasses and engrossed in poetry was named Yang Xin.

Strangely, he seemed to be crying?

Upon closer inspection, he was copying a poem—

“Have you, perhaps, forgotten me?

Otherwise, why no news at all?

Worlds apart.

Have you, perhaps, cherished me?

Otherwise, why does a smile always adorn my dreams,

Leaving behind beautiful fantasies?

Do we, perhaps, share a destiny,

But are like the source and end of a river,

Unable to meet?

…”

Hmph!

Indeed, a literary youth, moved to tears by poetry!

Looking at the other roommate, Yan Xinlei, who was assembling a computer, he was sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat. It seemed he had failed to assemble a component, looking very anxious.

One must know, it was 2004, and computers were not yet widespread. Even freshmen in the Computer Science department usually wouldn’t get a computer until their sophomore year. Business Administration was a liberal arts major, and computers weren’t needed at all.

What did this indicate? This Yan Xinlei was, more likely than not, an internet addict.

“What are you rushing for? I bought this phone just to call you, didn’t I? Pfft, how much is phone credit anyway? How could it be more important than the fruit of our love? Alright, don’t worry, I’ve checked everything. It won’t even take two hours from The Capital to Tianjin. Just wait, I’ll come find you after military training is over!”

At this moment, Wang Dalong, with his booming voice, walked into the dorm room carrying a washbasin while on the phone.

It seemed he came from a good family, could afford a phone, and even had a girlfriend studying in Tianjin.

Seeing Zhou Buqi, he widened his eyes and loudly exclaimed, “Oh, you’re awake? Impressive, going out drinking on your first day of registration? How about I, your brother, join you for a round sometime?”

Uh…

Judging by his accent, he was also a Northeasterner.

A bit boorish.

Zhou Buqi quickly waved his hand, humbly saying, “Forget it, forget it. My alcohol tolerance isn’t good.”

Wang Dalong chuckled, tilting his head back, “Well, that depends on who you’re comparing yourself to. Compared to me… all three of you combined wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Oh, then how much can you drink, Brother Dalong?”

“500 grams minimum, of Erguotou!”

“Impressive.”

Zhou Buqi looked impressed, “Then, if there’s a chance, our dorm can go out for a meal and have a drink together.”

“Absolutely!”

Wang Dalong waved his hand grandly.

The other two roommates, Yang Xin, completely absorbed in the sea of poetry, and Yan Xinlei, assembling his computer with a troubled expression, seemed to have not heard a thing.

Wang Dalong merely curled his lips, looking disdainful.

Zhou Buqi found it a bit amusing.

What kind of people were these?

A bunch of monsters and demons; better to leave early and be reborn.

“Hey, where are you going?” Seeing him about to leave, Wang Dalong grew a little anxious. “Classes start tomorrow! Today’s task is to decorate the dorm; there’s a competition!”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand without looking back, “You guys handle it! I agree to everything!”

…

Leaving the dorm building, he dialed a phone number. “Hello, is Wu Yu there?”

“This is she. Who are you looking for?”

“Are you stupid?! Who do you think I’m looking for?”

“Zhou… Zhou Buqi?”

“Come downstairs right now. I’m waiting for you.”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu was startled. “What do you want? I already called my dad. He said the purchasing manager wasn’t promoted, it was your elder brother.”

Zhou Buqi said angrily, “So, you pull up your pants and don’t recognize anyone, huh? You’re something else, Wu Yu!”

“That’s not what I meant. You… what do you want with me?”

“Less nonsense. Three minutes, come downstairs right now!”

By the time Zhou Buqi arrived, Wu Yu was already standing by the roadside, waiting.

She was wearing a blue and white floral dress. As a gentle breeze blew, it fluttered, making her look exceptionally charming and delicate. Due to the rush, she hadn’t applied any makeup, yet her exquisite face appeared even more fresh and beautiful, with an unparalleled complexion.

She was truly beautiful!

Zhou Buqi stopped at a distance and waved to her.

Wu Yu hurried over to him, panting slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes were a little bewildered. “Is something wrong?”

“I need to ask you something.” Zhou Buqi’s expression was quite serious.

Wu Yu said nervously, “That night was truly an accident. I didn’t mean to deceive you…”

“Alright, who’s talking about that night?” Zhou Buqi glared at her irritably. “I remember you studied law?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Do you know anything about policies and regulations related to starting a business?”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu froze, looking at him suspiciously for a long moment. “Are you really going to start a business?”

“Nonsense!”

“Is there a need? Your family is already so rich…”

“I’m telling you, can you have some ambition? My family being rich, what does that have to do with me? Do you know or not?! Speak quickly if you have something to say, get to the point!”

Zhou Buqi looked very impatient.

Wu Yu pouted, mumbled something softly, then said quietly, “We only learned some constitutional law and jurisprudence, not…”

“Useless!”

Zhou Buqi snorted coldly and turned to leave.

“Hey! Wait a minute!” Wu Yu called out anxiously.

Zhou Buqi turned back, frowning at her. “What, are you clinging to me now?”

Wu Yu’s pretty face flushed slightly. She mumbled, “Who’s clinging to you?” Then she raised her voice and said, “But Teacher Wen from your School of Economics and Management definitely knows. I took her elective course. When she was in university… you know there’s a pastry shop near the North Gate, right? That’s what Teacher Wen started during her university days.”

“Hmm…”

Zhou Buqi nodded, looking up at her. “Can you find her?”

Wu Yu bit her lip. “I’ve been to her office.”

“Lead the way!”

Zhou Buqi snapped his fingers, full of vigor.

Student entrepreneurship was quite special. On one hand, they had to abide by national laws and regulations, bear corresponding social responsibilities, and pay taxes and fees; on the other hand, they could also enjoy policy support from various government departments.

For example, tax reductions, or even tax exemptions.

For example, low-interest loans, or even interest-free loans.

For example, risk assessment, free training, and other related assistance.

However, all of these required application to relevant departments and approval, and the conditions were relatively strict.

…

Teacher Wen was a young instructor and didn’t have her own private office.

There were nameplates on the door, indicating that four teachers worked there.

Teacher Wen had a very captivating name: Wen Zhixia.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

After knocking, Zhou Buqi and Wu Yu pushed the door open and entered.

In the office, she was the only one.

Huh?

This Teacher Wen was truly beautiful!

She was wearing a Bohemian-style long dress, fiery red and dazzling. The skirt layered with hollowed-out patterns, and vibrant, delicate tassels cascaded around her ankles. A pair of blue leather sandals looked particularly striking.

The most crucial thing was… why did this Teacher Wen look so familiar?

Zhou Buqi blinked, almost turning around and leaving.

Oh my goodness!

She was actually a teacher?

I actually flirted with a teacher?

Immoral while drunk!

Immoral while drunk indeed!

Wu Yu, still unaware, said with a smile, “Teacher Wen, are you free? This is Zhou Buqi, my high school alumnus. He wants to start a business and would like to consult you about relevant regulations and policies.”

Wen Zhixia had already noticed Zhou Buqi. She nodded slightly, her gaze suspicious. “Zhou Buqi… student, have we met before?”

Zhou Buqi immediately shook his head. “No! Absolutely not!”

“Is that so?”

Wen Zhixia remained calm, picked up her phone, and dialed a number.

Zhou Buqi’s face turned green, and he inwardly cursed, “Oh no!”

Sure enough, his phone rang immediately.

Last night, when things happened, he told her his phone number. Showing off truly brings down lightning!

“Hello? Who is this?” Zhou Buqi forced himself to remain calm and even answered the call.

“This is Wen Zhixia.”

The two were standing close to each other, yet Teacher Wen was speaking to him through the phone.

This scene made Wu Yu feel a little dizzy.

Even more shameless was Zhou Buqi. The person calling him was right under his nose, yet he was still pretending to be blind, asking with a strange expression, “Wen Zhixia? Just by hearing your name, I know you are an intellectual and magnanimous, unconcerned with trifles, a role model for teachers, ambitious and far-sighted, gentle, refined, and virtuous, beautiful on the outside and intelligent on the inside, never holding grudges, and a dedicated teacher who wholeheartedly imparts knowledge. But, do we know each other?”

Wen Zhixia was so overwhelmed by his flurry of compliments that she completely forgot what to say. With a strange expression, she slowly said, “I’m right in front of you.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi exclaimed in surprise, his eyes wide as bells, as if he had discovered a new continent. “So you are the beloved Teacher Wen Zhixia, whom everyone loves, for whom flowers bloom, and for whom cars’ chains come off! My apologies! My deepest apologies!”

Only then did he hang up the phone.

Wen Zhixia had only just graduated with her master’s degree last year and stayed to teach at the university. She wasn’t much older than Zhou Buqi and was almost amused by his unruly performance, but she managed to hold it in, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Did you drink alcohol?”

Zhou Buqi quickly said, “No, I had a business engagement last night, so I was a bit muddled from drinking. I don’t know if I made any mistakes, but I’m sober now.”

Wen Zhixia’s attitude improved considerably. She nodded gently. “You want to start a business?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“Uh… trade secret.”

“Cough, cough…”

Wu Yu almost collapsed.

This Zhou Buqi seemed quite mature, so what was he doing? Why was he acting as if possessed? Could it be that he was captivated by Teacher Wen’s beauty?

Immediately, she shook her head, dismissing that judgment. Zhou Buqi was an upright gentleman; he wouldn’t be so vulgar.

Chapter 22: Any Resemblance Is Purely Coincidental

Wen Zhixia truly understood, and she enlightened Zhou Buqi with relevant knowledge.

The result was quite disappointing.

The country did indeed have several support policies for students and fresh graduates starting businesses, but these were aimed at individual proprietorships, not companies.

An individual proprietorship, or sole proprietorship, is a single business owner who cannot open branch stores.

Such individual proprietorships could be exempt from registration fees, individual proprietorship management fees, standard economic contract template fees, and other charges. Haidian District offered even greater support, even waiving business tax for three years. Furthermore, they provided corresponding interest-free guaranteed loans, with a maximum loan amount of 70,000 yuan.

To put it plainly, the country was willing to help small-scale, low-capital businesses.

In this regard, the unified certificate issued was the “Employment and Unemployment Registration Certificate.” University students and fresh graduates, in terms of policy guidance, were essentially treated the same as laid-off workers; the country’s attitude was to help them open individual proprietorships to make a living.

If one were to open a company, with multiple shareholders, or with branches and subsidiaries—a “grand venture”—there would be no corresponding support.

In short, the country helped the weak find a way to survive, while the strong still had to rely on themselves.

“However, we are in Haidian District, near Zhongguancun, which has more than twenty national-level science and technology industrial parks. If your entrepreneurial direction is technology-related, you can receive corresponding science park policies and even free incubators.”

Seeing Zhou Buqi in low spirits, Wen Zhixia offered another word of encouragement.

Zhou Buqi scoffed disdainfully, “Incubators? That kind of talk is only good for fooling kids. I’ve never heard of any large company hatching from an egg.”

“Then where do they come from?”

“They burst out of a rock!”

“Huh?”

Wen Zhixia’s eyes widened, finding this student’s ideas a bit extreme.

“Even if they hatch from an egg and become heavenly soldiers and generals, they still have to obey the Jade Emperor and all the other deities; they’re just subordinates. Only Sun Wukong, who burst from a rock, can become a hegemon, and even…”

At this point, Zhou Buqi paused, enunciating each word, “Be on equal footing!”

Wen Zhixia said no more. Having aspirations was good, but she feared that ambition without talent would only invite ridicule. She then noticed Wu Yu also had a look of disapproval and asked with a smile, “Are you two… dating?”

Zhou Buqi flatly denied it, huffing, “How could that be? I like the intellectual, gentle, refined, and virtuous, elegant type…”

As he spoke, he trailed off.

Wen Zhixia’s cheeks flushed crimson.

A chill ran down Zhou Buqi’s spine; he realized he had misspoken.

Right, when he was spouting nonsense earlier, praising Teacher Wen, he had described her as “intellectual and magnanimous,” “unconcerned with trifles,” “gentle, refined, and virtuous,” and “beautiful on the outside and intelligent on the inside.”

“Ahem, Teacher Wen, don’t take it personally. Any resemblance is purely coincidental… Uh, I have something else to do, I’ll be going first!”

…

Zhou Buqi left in a hurry, called Guo Pengfei, and headed straight for Beijing Institute of Technology.

Since it was about starting a business, they had to race against time. Especially before military training began, the initial planning needed to be set.

“Can he really handle Beijing Foreign Studies University and Renmin University of China?” Guo Pengfei was skeptical.

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment and said, “He’s quite confident. The last time he attended university was three years ago, meaning his friends from that period are now seniors. And he caused such a big stir back then, so his helpers’ abilities should be more or less the same. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”

Guo Pengfei was silent for a moment, then yearned, “If he can really pull it off, that would be great. Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, plus Beijing Foreign Studies University and Renmin University of China—that’s four universities. We’d have a solid foundation.”

Zhou Buqi gave him a disdainful look, “This is just the beginning! I said, the ten-university alliance is the foundation!”

Upon arriving at Beijing Institute of Technology, they saw Liu Wenbo anxiously waiting at the entrance, with two other people beside him: a very handsome guy and a stunning beauty.

“Let me introduce you, this is Ji Zian, from Renmin University of China, the Vice President of the University Student Union…” As soon as they met, Liu Wenbo began introducing the very handsome guy.

The handsome guy, however, smiled and waved his hand, saying, “Not anymore, I’ve resigned.”

“Resigned?”

Liu Wenbo was a bit surprised, his expression puzzled.

Unlike ordinary universities, the presidents and vice presidents of the University Student Unions in top-tier institutions like Renmin University of China were usually held by senior students.

Ji Zian calmly stated, “My girlfriend got together with the Student Union President.”

“Cough, cough!”

Guo Pengfei’s face flushed red; he couldn’t hold back.

Ji Zian remained calm and didn’t feel offended. He smiled and said, “It’s nothing. People always strive for better things, it’s normal. I even wished them well. The reason I resigned from the Student Union wasn’t out of anger, but because I didn’t want them to feel awkward when they were together.”

His words were gentle and natural, like bathing in a spring breeze.

His demeanor was truly excellent.

Zhou Buqi had an extremely good impression of him, finding him very mature. He smiled and shook his hand, “Only those with humble souls rely on love as their sole support. I really like your attitude. My name is Zhou Buqi, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Brother Liu told me about you, Boss Zhou, haha.” Ji Zian felt he had found a kindred spirit and laughed heartily.

At this moment, Zhou Buqi’s gaze fell upon the graceful and dignified girl standing beside them, who had a beautiful appearance and an elegant demeanor.

She wore a very high-quality white dress, like a celebrity, yet on her, it didn’t appear luxurious at all; it suited her perfectly. With red lips and white teeth, and skin whiter than snow, every frown and smile revealed the temperament of a well-bred young lady.

It seemed she came from an extraordinary background.

“Hello, Student Zhou, my name is Xue Baoshan. I’m from Beijing Foreign Studies University, majoring in English.”

“Xue Baochai? So you’re Sister Bao.”

“Student Zhou, don’t make fun of me.” Xue Baoshan pursed her lips into a smile, serene and natural, like a snow lotus standing proudly in this summer.

Beijing Foreign Studies University truly produced beauties!

Her appearance was equally matched with Wu Yu’s, but her temperament was exceptional, possessing a scholarly elegance reminiscent of talented women from the Republic of China era, making her particularly eye-catching.

Zhou Buqi’s heart trembled slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Guo Pengfei’s face already flushed red, seemingly not daring to look at her.

Liu Wenbo chuckled, “Baoshan is only a sophomore this year. It’s my first time meeting her too.”

Zhou Buqi felt a little suspicious.

Only a sophomore?

And such a beautiful young girl?

Could she handle the responsibility for Beijing Foreign Studies University?

Zhou Buqi was assembling an entrepreneurial team, not just looking for errand boys. They had to be capable of handling things independently.

Liu Wenbo gave a light cough and said, “My former girlfriend was from Beijing Foreign Studies University, and she was quite capable. But she’s a senior now, busy studying for IELTS, wanting to go abroad, so she doesn’t have time to participate in our venture. However, she recommended Baoshan and vouched for her ability.”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips, speaking softly and gently, “Student Zhou, I can do it.”

Zhou Buqi looked at her deeply and nodded.

Next, they went to a coffee shop.

“Wenbo, you won’t be participating in this military training. I’ll give you a task. You too,” Zhou Buqi glared at Guo Pengfei, who had been secretly looking at Xue Baoshan. “Listen carefully.”

“Go ahead, I’m listening,” Guo Pengfei’s old face flushed red, and he sat up straight.

Zhou Buqi said, “As I mentioned, I want to build a closed-loop business model. Just the wedding industry isn’t enough. So, let’s start with Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology as pilot sites. I’ll give each of you 10,000 yuan to set up individual proprietorships first.”

“Open a store?”

Liu Wenbo and Guo Pengfei were both a little incredulous.

“Yes, open a store.” Zhou Buqi’s expression was serious. “I’ve consulted, and the country has relevant policy support, but it’s only for individual proprietorships. So, you need to register with the industrial and commercial administration under your personal names. I’ve already decided on the direction: opening milk tea shops.”

Liu Wenbo frowned, “That won’t be easy, will it?”

Ji Zian said, “If you’re willing to do it, it shouldn’t be difficult. Universities have entrepreneurial support policies for students; you can apply to the school. Once approved, the school will provide the necessary space and equipment for the business. Once you pass the school’s hurdle, industrial and commercial registration becomes easy.”

He was indeed a veteran expert of the Student Union, knowing the school’s policies like the back of his hand.

Guo Pengfei was a bit nervous; he had never imagined opening a store. “This… will this work? What if it fails…”

“If you mess it up, then get lost! If you can’t even handle such a small matter, what use are you to me?” Zhou Buqi sarcastically retorted.

Guo Pengfei argued, “Even if the school can provide the space, what about renovation costs? Equipment costs? 10,000 yuan isn’t nearly enough. Don’t you have 80,000 yuan?”

Zhou Buqi said, “If the money isn’t enough, go get a bank loan. I’ve consulted, and it’s not difficult for a small-scale milk tea shop individual proprietorship to get a loan of twenty to thirty thousand yuan.”

Guo Pengfei twitched his lips and fell silent.

Liu Wenbo pondered for a moment and asked, “Boss Zhou, aren’t we partnering up? Why open individual proprietorships? Wouldn’t it be better to directly establish a company and open chain stores? We could also establish our own brand.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, saying bitterly, “There’s no other way; only individual proprietorships can receive the maximum policy support. But it doesn’t matter. If the milk tea shops really get off the ground, and we find the right business model, then we can establish a company to integrate them, create a chain brand, and expand to more university campuses.”

“Milk tea chain stores?”

Ji Zian’s eyes lit up, feeling that this Boss Zhou indeed had great courage.

Current university students usually only go as far as opening a drink stand or a sausage stand on campus. To immediately think of chain stores showed a truly broad vision.

However, milk tea shops were springing up like bamboo shoots after rain, making it very difficult to grow big.

Zhou Buqi said, “Milk tea shops are just an initial exploration. If they do well, they will be very useful for the upcoming wedding industry. We’ll discuss the specifics later. For now, you two, get me two milk tea shops set up at Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology! Also, the renovation style must be consistent; it’s best to hire a specialized design company for unified planning, leaving room for future store integration.”

Guo Pengfei asked, “What about equipment? To make milk tea, you need equipment and a process, right?”

“I’ll handle that. Baoshan, you’ll come with me in a bit and temporarily act as my secretary to sort this out.” Zhou Buqi seemed to have already planned everything.

Everyone’s expressions were a bit strange.

Especially Guo Pengfei, whose gaze was unfriendly.

Xue Baoshan’s pretty face flushed slightly, but she maintained her elegant posture, pursing her lips into a smile, “Okay, I’m looking forward to it.”

Chapter 23: Milk Tea Shop

Work had been arranged for Liu Wenbo, Guo Pengfei, and Xue Baoshan, leaving only Ji Zian.

He was a top student from Renmin University of China’s Sociology Department, currently in his senior year, and had previously served as the Vice President of the University Student Union. However, his actual operational capability still needed to be tested through practice.

Zhou Buqi said, “Senior Brother Ji, you must have heard about the case of me leading a team to sell Campus Cards over the past two days, right?”

Ji Zian generously admitted, “I was attracted by this very matter.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Since that’s the case, I’ll be direct. Our short-term goal is to establish a Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance. We need to select a qualified leader from each of ten universities. For example, Wenbo from Beijing Institute of Technology, and you from Renmin University of China. However, currently, we’ve only established connections with Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Renmin University of China, and Beijing Foreign Studies University, which is far from enough.”

“Are you asking me to contact the other six universities?”

“Not necessarily just six. There are twenty or thirty universities nearby, so we can cast a wide net. At that time, I will conduct interviews and select the most suitable person for our team.”

This was an arduous task, even harder than Liu Wenbo and Guo Pengfei opening their milk tea shops.

Building a network of connections at other universities and then picking out the most entrepreneurially capable people from tens of thousands of students – it gave him a headache just thinking about it.

Ji Zian remained silent.

Zhou Buqi calmly said, “I’ve paved the way for you. All these schools are in Haidian District, and they must have heard about the booming Campus Card agency business at Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology. Never mind the university students, even the Telecom business halls will be envious. And you need to understand that a university student with true entrepreneurial aspirations often starts by acting as a Campus Card agent.”

Ji Zian’s eyes lit up, as if he had seen the light of dawn.

It was Boss Zhou, indeed. With just a few words of guidance, everything became clear.

Zhou Buqi said, “Charity-led initiatives, discounts paving the way, and door-to-door service are the fundamental reasons for the booming sales of Campus Cards at Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology. However, just knowing the model doesn’t mean you can replicate it quickly. You must have some friends at Renmin University of China, right? You can take them with you and use our successful case to guide university students at other schools in selling Campus Cards. Once they succeed and make money, they will naturally become loyal to you, and your connections will be established.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Pengfei’s face turned ashen.

It was as if those words were spoken about him.

That was exactly how he had been convinced by Zhou Buqi, willingly becoming his follower.

Ji Zian, on the other hand, felt his emotions surge, finding this much more exciting than being the Vice President of the Student Union.

The University Student Union at Renmin University of China had many activities, with an event every three to five days, such as debate competitions, singing contests, anniversary galas, and festival parties.

Over his years at university, he had organized no less than a hundred campus activities.

But compared to the task Zhou Buqi had arranged, those were child’s play.

This was truly doing something big!

Going to Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beihang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Language and Culture University… attracting entrepreneurial elites from these universities to start a business together – just thinking about it made his heart pound with excitement!

“Okay, I’ll take it!”

Ji Zian took a deep breath, his face flushed, as if he had rediscovered the excitement and exhilaration he felt when he received his university admission letter years ago.

He hadn’t felt this way in a long time.

It was a strong impulse.

Zhou Buqi, worried he wouldn’t do well, further advised, “Once they start making money, they will admire you greatly and flock to you. This is impulsive enthusiasm. You must keep those with the strongest will and determination; ability is secondary. I’ll tell you a method: you can take them to skip classes collectively, continuously skipping classes for a long time, and even frequent some entertainment venues. Whoever is open-minded, whoever is bold, whoever can withstand the pressure from the school and persist to the end—that person is the most suitable.”

Guo Pengfei’s eyes suddenly widened. “Entertainment venues? Be careful not to get caught!”

Ji Zian, however, was much calmer. “I understand.”

“Alright, that’s it then.”

Zhou Buqi stood up, truly embodying the air of a leader, and finally concluded, “Our school’s military training lasts two weeks. For now, the entrepreneurial matters are left to your discretion. If you encounter any problems, you can call me. Half a month from now, when military training ends, I want to see results.”

“No problem!” Liu Wenbo slammed the table, being the first to guarantee.

Ji Zian slightly smiled, “The task Boss Zhou arranged must be completed well; consider it a pledge of allegiance.”

Guo Pengfei hesitated a few times, then bit the bullet and said, “I can do it too.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, “Baoshan, let’s go.”

Xue Baoshan, a woman of few words, steady and calm, truly had a bit of the demeanor of Xue Baochai from Dream of the Red Chamber. She slowly stood up, smiling with pursed lips, “Okay.”

As they were leaving, Guo Pengfei secretly leaned in and whispered a warning, “Remember, a secretary is a secretary, and a mistress is a mistress. You better not mix them up!”

Zhou Buqi cursed at him, “Get lost!”

Yet, he felt somewhat confused.

Secretary and mistress, was there a difference?

…

Actually, when he was creating his entrepreneurial plan during the summer vacation, Zhou Buqi hadn’t thought about opening a milk tea chain store. His idea at the time was to open a chain of restaurants.

However, after coming to The Capital for a field inspection, he realized that opening a restaurant was almost impossible.

Land prices and rent here were too expensive. All the good locations had been snatched up, and transferring ownership was impossible. Even for shops that couldn’t continue operating, the transfer fee alone was hundreds of thousands, plus an annual rent of seventy or eighty thousand.

In comparison, the initial investment for a milk tea shop was much smaller, and it was more in line with the school’s support regulations for university student entrepreneurship.

More importantly, Zhou Buqi had connections!

The businessman Fang Qiwen, whom he had met on the plane, had to play a role. He ran a beverage company, and beverages and milk tea were essentially no different.

On the phone, Fang Qiwen was especially enthusiastic and welcomed him warmly.

So Zhou Buqi took Xue Baoshan and headed to Shijingshan, beyond the Fifth Ring Road.

“Sister Bao, what are you thinking about?”

On the subway, Zhou Buqi saw her spacing out and teased her.

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips into a smile, her eyes playfully reproachful. “Student Zhou, stop messing around. I started school early, so I might not even be older than you.”

“Huh? No way?”

“I was born in 1986.”

“Me too.”

“I’m from June.”

“Me too.”

Xue Baoshan gave him a sideways glance and said playfully, “Student Zhou, stop messing around.”

Zhou Buqi cried out in mock injustice, “It’s true, I really am from June. If you don’t believe me, look at my ID card. My birthday is June 5th.”

“Oh!”

Xue Baoshan covered her mouth and let out a soft gasp.

“It can’t be the same birthday, can it?”

“My birthday is June 6th.”

Zhou Buqi blinked. “So, you’re a sophomore, I’m a freshman, and it turns out… I’m older than you?”

Xue Baoshan smiled lightly with pursed lips. “Yes, one day older than me.”

Zhou Buqi sighed to the sky, “It’s over. I thought I was Jia Baoyu and had found my Sister Bao.”

Xue Baoshan was amused and exasperated. She shook her fair, tender little fist and softly said, “Stop messing around, you’re the older brother, you’re not allowed to bully people. I have something serious to ask you.”

Sister Baochai’s brother… wasn’t that Xue Pan?

Zhou Buqi’s face darkened. He indeed didn’t dare to continue the conversation and said, “Alright, go ahead.”

“You’ve assigned all the tasks, aren’t you afraid they won’t be able to do it?”

Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes sparkled, like a curious baby.

Zhou Buqi said indifferently, “Pengfei and Wenbo will definitely be fine. They are influential figures in their respective schools, so getting entrepreneurial support from the school won’t be difficult.”

“What about Senior Brother Ji?”

“It’s clear that he’s quite ambitious, unlike you.”

“I have ideals too.” Xue Baoshan was not convinced and let out a soft snort. Then she lowered her voice, “He’s contacting other schools on your behalf. What if he succeeds but then cuts you off halfway and runs away with the people?”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but laugh. “Run? Where would he run to? Does he have a suitable entrepreneurial project in his hands?”

“Learning from you to open a milk tea shop.”

“Does he have my connections? Does he have the equipment and process? Never mind, let’s not talk about this. Don’t worry, Senior Brother Ji is smart enough. Smart people won’t overestimate themselves.”

“I heard it, you’re mocking me.” Xue Baoshan stopped smiling and became unhappy.

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “I’m guiding you.”

“I want to open a shop too!” Xue Baoshan’s tone suddenly became strong, her face radiant.

“Open a shop?” Zhou Buqi was stunned for a moment.

Xue Baoshan said unhappily, “Yes, opening a shop. Beijing University of Science and Technology has one, Beijing Institute of Technology has one, and Beijing Foreign Studies University can have one too. You just look down on me, that’s why you made me your assistant. What they can do, I can do too.”

Oh! This girl had quite strong ambition.

Seeing Zhou Buqi lost in thought, Xue Baoshan continued, “For something like milk tea, the main consumer group is girls. Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology are both science and engineering universities with limited female students, so even if a shop opens there, its performance won’t be too good. Beijing Foreign Studies University is different; there are more girls than boys here, making it most suitable for building a flagship store.”

Zhou Buqi immediately smiled.

This young girl was quite ambitious, wanting to build a milk tea flagship store at Beijing Foreign Studies University?

However, what she said did make some sense. Milk tea, as a beverage, was indeed more suitable for female consumers.

“Have you thought it through?”

“I have!”

“Actually, you misunderstood. Being my assistant, my secretary, is far more challenging and difficult than opening a milk tea shop. You should know that my goals won’t be limited to the milk tea industry.”

“I don’t care, I just want to open a milk tea shop.”

Xue Baoshan’s attitude was very firm.

Some things, she didn’t say explicitly.

She was very beautiful, with an extraordinary kind of beauty. She also knew that being Student Zhou’s secretary might be more important. But she had to do this; she needed an opportunity to showcase her own abilities, and she wanted to do better than Guo Pengfei and Liu Wenbo!

Only this way, when the business truly grew big in the future, no one would gossip behind her back or be overly envious.

She would rise through ability, not through any other messy means.

Zhou Buqi’s eyes narrowed into a slit. He pondered slightly, then nodded, “Alright, but I have a condition.”

“Tell me.”

“It’s clear that your family background is good. However, you’re not allowed to use your own money to open the shop, not a single cent. Business is business, and personal matters are personal. The future company will have clear share divisions, and the accounts must be clearly calculated.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll give you twenty thousand.”

“They get ten thousand, why do I get twenty thousand? There’s no need.”

Xue Baoshan looked gentle and quiet, like a well-bred young lady, but she possessed great persistence within.

Zhou Buqi frowned and said indifferently, “If I give it to you, just take it. Since it’s a flagship store, the investment should be higher. Also, regarding work matters in the future, no backtalk.”

Xue Baoshan tightly pursed her lips, softly hummed ‘mm,’ and said, “I understand.”

Chapter 24: General Manager Fang PK Student Zhou

Fang Qiwen’s factory was located outside the Fifth Ring Road, not too far into the suburbs.

Upon arriving at the factory, Fang Qiwen enthusiastically invited them to tour his facility. The entire factory employed over three hundred workers and primarily targeted the low-end market in the Beijing suburbs and Hebei Province, specifically the urban-rural fringe and vast rural areas.

It was easy to imagine that the factory’s profits wouldn’t be great.

Zhou Buqi gained a clear understanding of Fang Qiwen’s financial standing; he was just a small boss.

Xue Baoshan showed her understanding and discretion, keeping her distance and giving them ample space for a private conversation.

“This girl is too beautiful, isn’t she?” Fang Qiwen said admiringly, giving a thumbs-up.

Zhou Buqi replied, “Well, we’re starting a business, so she’s my secretary.”

“Secretary?”

Fang Qiwen chuckled, his gaze ambiguous.

Zhou Buqi was noncommittal, his expression calm. “What about you? Did you manage to get that flight attendant?”

Fang Qiwen’s face fell. “No.”

“What happened?”

“I went on two dates with her, we went shopping, ate out, even went to a bar, but she just wouldn’t go to a hotel room.”

“Of course not. What kind of situations hasn’t she seen? She’s just dangling you along with that last hurdle.”

“I can’t do it anymore, I’m falling behind the times.”

Fang Qiwen shook his head repeatedly, especially feeling a deep sense of frustration seeing the free mistress by Zhou Buqi’s side.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “It’s actually not hard to get her.”

“Oh?” Fang Qiwen’s eyes lit up. “That’s right, you’re an expert on love! Give me some pointers, and I’ll take full responsibility for the milk tea shop!”

Zhou Buqi said, “You absolutely cannot spoil her, especially a flight attendant who has seen it all. Your attitude must not be soft.”

At this moment, Xue Baoshan also approached, a smile playing on her lips, dignified and elegant.

Zhou Buqi didn’t pay attention and continued, “Brother Fang, first, you need to package yourself well. To be honest, with your true identity as a small boss, even if you have some money, it’s hard to pique her interest.”

“What should I do then?”

“Supercars! Ferraris, Lamborghinis. Drive them out on dates. Don’t even bother with shopping; just go for a drive.”

“All my money is invested in the factory; where would I get the money to buy a sports car?” Fang Qiwen said with a bitter expression.

Zhou Buqi glanced at him. “Then rent one.”

“Rent…”

Fang Qiwen was instantly stunned, feeling as if his world had been turned upside down.

Rent a car to pick up a mistress?

This works too?

Well, it certainly sounded exciting and reliable.

He truly was an expert on love, to be able to come up with such a shameless strategy.

“How exactly should I do it?”

“Call her, text her, bombard her with fiery enthusiasm. Then, find a time when she’s on vacation, rent a car to charm her, go for a drive in the suburbs, and do everything you can in the car. Go to a hotel room later, and you’ll secure her easily.”

“What if that still doesn’t work?”

“Hmm?”

Fang Qiwen’s old face flushed, feeling a bit awkward. “Well… you know, flight attendants, they might have more tricks up their sleeves.”

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “Then play a game of hot and cold. If she refuses, ignore her for a week. At this point, her heart will surely be in turmoil. She’ll think you’ve given up on her, she’ll doubt herself, feel indignant, and won’t want to lose you, her sugar daddy. When you suddenly reappear at that moment, she’ll be greatly surprised. Didn’t I tell you? Emotions are the greatest tool to break through a woman’s psychological defenses. By then, her emotions will be completely under your control. Rent a car again, go for another drive, and getting a room won’t be a problem.”

Fang Qiwen’s heart surged with excitement; he wished he could kowtow to Zhou Buqi.

A life mentor!

Interacting between men and women truly required psychology.

However, he was still a bit uneasy and asked again, “What if even that doesn’t work?”

Zhou Buqi said exasperatedly, “If that still doesn’t work, I suggest you go to Lingguang Temple, shave your head, and read the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra for twenty years.”

“That’ll get me girls?” Fang Qiwen scoffed, not believing it at all.

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “No, that way you won’t have any thoughts about that anymore. It’s a complete cure.”

Xue Baoshan’s face flushed crimson; she stifled her laughter and turned to go elsewhere.

Fang Qiwen’s facial muscles twitched a few times, then he covered it up with a loud laugh. “Haha, just kidding. Alright, let’s talk about your milk tea shop. What’s the plan?”

“You have an office, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s talk in the office.”

Zhou Buqi called Xue Baoshan back, and they walked towards the standalone Administrative Building within the factory.

“Brother Fang, I have two small issues here that I need your help with.” Once in the office, Zhou Buqi was resolute and swift in action.

Fang Qiwen didn’t have a secretary, so he personally poured them both a cup of coffee, saying without turning his head, “Go ahead, as long as I can do it, there’s no problem.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t stand on ceremony. “Opening a milk tea shop requires a lot of equipment: sealing machines, fructose dispensers, water purifiers, hot water dispensers, tea brewers, insulated barrels, tea extractors, and so on. In summer, you might also need ice makers, shaved ice machines, cold drink dispensers, ice cream machines, smoothie makers, etc. If we order these machines under the factory’s name, I think the prices will be better, and the quality will be guaranteed.”

Fang Qiwen paused, then turned to look at him.

He hadn’t expected this kid to be so capable, speaking so logically and well-reasoned.

After placing the coffee down, Fang Qiwen sat opposite him, becoming serious. He said earnestly, “This is a beverage factory, so it’s unlikely I can get the absolute lowest discounts. However, purchasing on your behalf in the initial stage is fine; it’s definitely more suitable than you university students doing it. If your milk tea chain stores open up, then ordering under the milk tea shop’s name, or even tendering, could get you even bigger discounts.”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “The initial stage is enough. If all three milk tea shops open successfully, it will be much easier. Also, there are some raw materials and ingredients needed for milk tea processing, like tea leaves, creamer, flavorings, saccharin, and so on.”

“That’s easy, I guarantee the lowest price in the industry!”

Fang Qiwen waved his hand, full of confidence.

He had previously been a vice president at Wahaha Group and had his own connections in procurement channels. The ingredients for making milk tea and making beverages were essentially the same.

Zhou Buqi nodded. “The second point is taste. There are more and more milk tea shops now, and to stand out, unique flavors are essential.”

Fang Qiwen thought for a moment and said, “Actually, I’ve always had an idea: to launch gender-specific beverages. Women prefer sweet, creamy, and smooth flavors, while men prefer rich, lingering tastes. However, this is difficult to achieve with bottled drinks.”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes lit up, and he agreed profoundly. “The three most important factors for bottled beverages at the production end are cost control, mass appeal, and large-scale production. Unless it’s a high-end beverage, it’s difficult to open up the market from this angle. However, novelty-oriented and style-oriented approaches are indeed breakthroughs to break monopolies. For example, Baijiahe Cold Medicine was able to stand out in the 1990s when foreign cold medicines dominated, becoming a pillar of state-owned pharmaceutical companies, largely due to its novelty-oriented marketing approach of ‘take the white pill during the day, and the black pill at night.’”

Fang Qiwen was greatly shaken, his gaze changing.

Was such a perspective truly something a rookie freshman should possess?

What a talent!

It seemed he was not only a mentor in the field of love but also had unique insights in business.

This time, starting a milk tea shop, it might actually succeed.

Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes sparkled, her fair, pretty face slightly flushed, and she smiled brightly. “Bottled drinks won’t work, but freshly made milk tea can. For science and engineering universities like Beijing University of Science and Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology, where there are more male students, we can primarily promote rich, mellow flavors. For schools like Beijing Foreign Studies University and Beijing Normal University, where there are more female students, we can primarily promote sweet and glutinous flavors.”

“That’s exactly what I mean.” Fang Qiwen clapped his hands and laughed. “Milk tea shops offer many categories, but there are only a few true bestsellers. Especially the cheapest classic models must suit the tastes of the majority of local students. The catering industry has a bandwagon effect; when a bestseller becomes popular, it brings in a large flow of people. Therefore, the lowest-priced classic models are key.”

As expected of a businessman who had gone through hardships, even across industries, he could offer very incisive insights.

“This approach works,” Zhou Buqi nodded, summarizing. “Science universities lean towards rich and mellow, liberal arts universities lean towards sweet and glutinous, and comprehensive universities like Renmin University of China can have a more balanced taste. For so-called milk tea chain stores, while maintaining a unified overall style, having certain taste differentiations in details can be clever and attract students from other schools. Hmm, the specific flavors can be adjusted by the store manager at any time according to the style of the respective school; they should be lively, not rigid.”

Fang Qiwen gave a thumbs-up.

Xue Baoshan felt honored by association, so happy she couldn’t suppress her heartbeat, as if her heart was rippling in spring water.

Although this topic was brought up by General Manager Fang, Student Zhou’s ability to infer the rest from one part was truly commendable. Moreover, his business vision and industrial layout seemed even broader than General Manager Fang’s.

Zhou Buqi picked up his coffee, took a large sip, and stood up. “Brother Fang, there’s no time to lose; let’s get to it. I hope the milk tea shops can open smoothly after the National Day holiday; time is very tight.”

Next, they naturally needed to go to a food research institute to find experts to formulate a satisfactory milk tea recipe.

“So urgent?”

“Things that come out of a research institute cannot directly face the market. Before officially opening the stores, I need to launch a series of tasting events to test market reactions.”

Fang Qiwen was speechless, exclaiming “Monster!”

Where did this kid come from?

How could he have such a complete set of business strategies, and so mature at that?

It seemed there was nothing he didn’t understand.

However, he still didn’t get up.

“Brother Fang?” Zhou Buqi asked, a bit puzzled.

“The Capital Food Research Institute is quite strong, but…” Fang Qiwen pointed to his head. “…their thinking is too rigid. They used to be a public institution, so their bureaucratic style is very strong. I dealt with them when I was setting up my factory. You know, the formulas for these bottled beverages are actually pretty much the same across the country. What’s the difference between Uni-President’s black tea and Wahaha’s black tea? Basically, it’s just copying each other. So, in the bottled beverage sector, formula development isn’t very difficult, it’s not highly technical, and there’s basically no R&D investment. And guess what happened?”

Chapter 25: A Failing Performance

“The Capital, after all, its urban character is bound to be a bit eccentric.”

Zhou Buqi had already guessed, smiling, “Their asking price must be very high, right?”

Fang Qiwen said angrily, “High? It’s outrageous! Do you know, they quoted 100,000 yuan just to formulate one beverage? And that was years ago! My factory has over a dozen beverages; the formula fees alone would be over one million yuan. Why don’t they just rob people?”

Zhou Buqi seemed to understand something, amused, “So you just left without even negotiating?”

“Negotiate my foot! Wasn’t it clearly a rip-off?”

It seemed this incident had quite an impact on Fang Qiwen; after all these years, he was still indignant.

Zhou Buqi shook his head, “So what did you do then?”

“I went to Lin’an.”

“Lin’an?”

“Yes, I used to work at Lehaha, so I had connections there and had a lot of contact with the Lin’an Food Research Institute. Ha! Guess what? I had seven beverages formulated at the Lin’an Food Research Institute, and they only charged 7,000 yuan.”

Xue Baoshan couldn’t help but exclaim softly, “Such a huge difference?”

Fang Qiwen snorted, “Exactly! That’s why I advise you not to go to the Capital Food Research Institute. You’d be better off going straight to Lin’an. I can help you connect. With your few milk tea formulas, 5,000 yuan will definitely get it done.”

Xue Baoshan turned to look at Zhou Buqi.

The difference was too great!

There was no reason to develop it here in Yanjing.

Besides, was milk tea formula really that difficult? Find the ingredients, experiment at home for a few days, and you could get pretty close. It was nothing more than creamer, tea extract, and various sweeteners.

Zhou Buqi sighed, finished the remaining half cup of coffee in one gulp, and then spoke, “First, regarding the formula issue, why must we find a relevant institution to formulate it instead of researching it ourselves? It’s simple: we need nationally recognized food qualifications. Our goal is a national chain store for milk tea, not a roadside stall.”

Fang Qiwen strongly agreed with this point: “This approach is correct; you can’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Things you concoct yourself have no safety guarantee. Roadside milk tea, grilled sausages, and jianbing guozi might give you diarrhea, have limited sales, and the state won’t bother with them. But for large-scale sales under a brand, if something goes wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable. Things developed by research institutes might taste a bit worse or have more additives, but their safety is guaranteed.”

Zhou Buqi added, “Domestic food safety issues are rampant, a large part of the reason being too many ‘unorthodox methods.’ This increases the diversity of folk cuisine but also heightens food safety risks.”

Xue Baoshan let out an “Oh,” crossing her legs and sitting upright, maintaining an elegant posture.

He wondered if she was tired from sitting so formally for so long.

Fang Qiwen gave a sarcastic smile, “Many times, collusion from various sectors is also a food safety hazard.”

“Let’s not dwell on this; as long as we have a clear conscience.” Zhou Buqi waved his hand, ending the somewhat discordant topic. “As for the milk tea formula, I will choose to go to the Capital Food Research Institute.”

“Ah?”

Fang Qiwen’s eyes widened, and he sat up abruptly. Xue Baoshan also widened her eyes in surprise, incredulous.

Zhou Buqi humbly said, “Brother Fang, this is a difference in thinking. Let me explain, and you can see if it makes sense.”

“Speak!”

Fang Qiwen’s expression was solemn.

Now, he no longer dared to treat him as just a university student.

“Our country’s entrepreneurial hubs are mainly in three directions: one is Guangdong Province in the south, which is the forefront of reform and opening up, with the most active ideas. Then there are the coastal areas of Donghai City and Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces; this is the economic center, with strong capital. As for the north, there’s only the Capital.”

“The difference is that the Capital doesn’t have an open ideological trend; in fact, it’s strictly restricted. Entrepreneurial support here is also far inferior to that in the coastal provinces. But why can it become an entrepreneurial hub? Because this is the Capital, the political center. Compared to the coastal and southern regions, it has one major advantage: it can mobilize national-level resources to propel enterprises nationwide and help them grow stronger.”

“Yanjing is an arrogant and eccentric city; it seems the people here are the best, and the businesses here are the best. So, once a certain level of urban recognition is achieved, this city will actively push enterprises forward. This is the image of the Capital, the dignity of the Capital. It’s also a major reason why the Capital, despite its extremely poor geographical location, can still achieve high economic development.”

This statement was not without reason.

Businesses in the Capital, especially large companies, were truly more domineering than the last. For example, a certain search engine company, a certain tech company, a certain classifieds platform, and a certain real estate developer—if they were southern or coastal enterprises, they would have undergone countless rectifications by now.

It’s good to have a powerful backer; this is the Capital’s advantage.

Many companies, after growing strong, have successively established second headquarters in the Capital, or even directly relocated their headquarters to the Capital.

Why?

If you don’t pay taxes to the Capital and don’t contribute to its economic development, why should the national resources controlled by the Capital be given to you? It would be good enough if they didn’t suppress you.

Xue Baoshan’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, feeling that these words were too arbitrary, a bit boastful. Regardless of whether they were right or wrong, for Student Zhou’s current age and status, saying such things was inappropriate in itself.

She was a woman of few words, skilled at concealing her wisdom, and felt these words were too blunt.

Fang Qiwen remained calm. He wanted to light a cigarette, glanced at Xue Baoshan, then put it down. After a long silence, he said, “You mean you want to establish a local Capital enterprise?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “I’m starting a business in the Capital, so of course it’s a Capital enterprise.”

Fang Qiwen’s comprehension was indeed much deeper. He probed, “So, my going to Lin’an to research formulas crossed a line?”

Zhou Buqi said, “As far as I know, the Capital Food Research Institute is the first food research institute in the country. Not just nationally, but in the Capital’s food industry, it holds a pivotal position. It alone has six or seven academicians, and its network of connections already spans the entire Capital. What’s more important is that the research department is just one part of the Capital Food Research Institute; it also includes a food magazine publisher and the city’s tea supervision department. We’re dealing with the real economy, unlike the internet.”

Fang Qiwen already understood his meaning.

To engage in the food industry, the Capital Food Research Institute was an unavoidable hurdle. The internet was a virtual world, boundless and imaginative; the old guard couldn’t control it because they didn’t understand it. Food and beverages, however, were different; they were part of the real economy and couldn’t avoid the social reality.

“Small-scale operations are one thing, but to build a national milk tea chain store, you can’t be indecisive. It’s like your factory, Brother Fang; it’s well-managed and efficient, but why hasn’t it developed? I think your going to Lin’an for formulas was a slap in the face to the Capital Food Research Institute. You might even have gotten blacklisted.”

After he said this, it resonated with Fang Qiwen, whose expression flickered as if recalling something. He murmured, “There were a few bids where my price was clearly lower, but I still lost. For some policy applications, other factories passed smoothly, but mine kept getting delayed. It was the same with distributors; they pressed prices hard and were slow with payments… Now that you mention it, why does it feel like something was off?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Brother Fang, this is the Capital. The connections in various sectors are already a vast network. How else could it be described as rigid? Why else would there be constant calls for reform? This is a large dye vat, where even a slight ripple at the bottom can stir the entire contents.”

These words were a bit absolute, but one couldn’t ignore them.

Entrepreneurs face a pitfall with every step; they must be extremely careful.

“I’ll consider it further.” Fang Qiwen took a deep breath, waved his hand, and looked at him with an equal gaze, “What about you? Are you set on the Capital Food Research Institute?”

“Yes, I’ve decided.”

Zhou Buqi spoke with conviction.

Fang Qiwen frowned, “The price might be too much for you to handle.”

Zhou Buqi laughed, “That’s not necessarily true. I’m a university student. Students seeking help from public institutions and state-owned enterprises often receive more attention from leaders, as education is fundamental.”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips and said, “That’s right. When the Student Union solicits sponsorships from public institutions and state-owned enterprises, the success rate is higher, and they get more sponsorships.”

“Then I wish you success.” Fang Qiwen smiled bitterly, letting out a sigh. “In this regard, your Brother Fang can’t help you. However, I know Old Qin from the institute; he was my high school classmate, and he’s in the Development Center. You can go find him; he can show you the ropes.”

Zhou Buqi was overjoyed, “That’s more than enough!”

Xue Baoshan also stood up, smiling sweetly, “General Manager Fang, please don’t say that. You’ve already helped us so much; we don’t even know how to thank you.”

…

“Damn it! Socialites are just different from university students; they’re too hard to fool.”

Sitting on the subway back to the city, Zhou Buqi wiped a cold sweat.

“Fool?” Xue Baoshan looked surprised, turning to him, “You weren’t telling the truth?”

Zhou Buqi sighed, “It’s precisely because I was telling the truth that it was exhausting. In the future, I’ll stick to dealing with university students; I can mold them however I please.”

“Then what was this today?”

Xue Baoshan felt strange. She thought that with Student Zhou’s ability and insight, he wouldn’t need General Manager Fang’s help to open a milk tea shop.

Zhou Buqi stretched, sighing, “Of course, it was to build good relationships. The bottled beverage market has great potential.”

“You want to win him over?”

“Yes.”

“This…”

Xue Baoshan covered her mouth and gasped softly, incredulous.

Student Zhou, you’re only a freshman. It’s already shocking enough that you’ve won over a group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. And now you have ideas about a successful businessman?

He has a beverage factory in his hands!

That factory earns hundreds of thousands annually, plus the land, equipment, and various permits—it’s worth at least ten million yuan!

Student Zhou, you’ve gotten carried away!

Zhou Buqi continued to himself, “That factory will never develop in his hands. His ability is good, but he lacks strategic vision. He can be a good deputy, but not a decision-maker. If I were to lead it, it might even become a nationally renowned brand.”

Then, he turned to Xue Baoshan, “Little Sister Bao, how do you think I performed today?”

Xue Baoshan thought for a moment, then said very seriously, “Student Zhou, I think your performance was a failing grade.”

“Why?” Zhou Buqi looked at her with a strange expression, “You’re not misunderstanding something because of my unique insights into the realm of love, are you? I’ll have you know, I’m a good man.”

“What are you talking about?” Xue Baoshan’s face flushed slightly, and she glared at him playfully. “I just think… I think what you said today wasn’t composed enough.”

She actually wanted to use the word “boastful,” but changed her mind at the last moment.

Zhou Buqi was silent for a moment, then deeply reflected, “Hmm, you’re right. I should learn from you: calm in handling affairs, steady and peaceful, respectful and considerate, tactful and tolerant, deeply understanding of principles, a woman of few words, naturally intelligent, widely learned and broadly knowledgeable, dignified in conduct, elegant in demeanor, with plump and lustrous skin, eyes like autumn water, and snow-white, flower-like beauty…”

“Enough!”

Xue Baoshan let out a huff of exasperation, her face crimson, and she gave him a sharp glare.

Chapter 26: If You Can’t Handle It, You’ll Take Over

The atmosphere in Room 205 was a bit oppressive.

Yang Xin, the “literary youth,” was immersed in the ocean of poetry, unable to extricate himself. He even shed tears repeatedly when reading emotional passages, his sincerity astonishing.

Yan Xinlei, the “internet addict,” had finally assembled his desktop computer. It wasn’t connected to the internet yet, but he was fully engrossed in playing Warcraft III, his focus admirable.

Wang Dalong, the “Northeast brother,” tried several times to find a common topic but failed each time. He could only complain endlessly to his girlfriend, who was studying out of town. He actually had a girlfriend—how enviable!

What kind of roommates were these?!

Tomorrow was September 1st, the official start of the semester. There would be a freshman welcoming ceremony, class cadre elections, and the real start of university life. The day after tomorrow, military training would begin.

Other dorms had all gone out for dinner together—what a memorable day!

Unfortunately, Room 205 was lifeless.

Speaking of which, Wang Dalong resented Zhou Buqi the most.

The other two roommates were at least in the dorm, but this guy was nowhere to be seen from morning till night. Was he even a part of Room 205? He didn’t even participate in decorating the dorm!

What did he mean, treating the dorm like an inn?

Unbearable!

Wang Dalong, who was lying on his bed, suddenly sat up and said angrily, “No, that kid Zhou Buqi hasn’t shown his face all day. The three of us need to team up and have a serious talk with him.”

Yang Xin was reading, and Yan Xinlei was playing games.

They seemed not to have heard him.

Wang Dalong raised his voice, “I said, did you two hear me? He’s also part of the dorm, he has to clean, he has to take responsibility, right? With his sloppy attitude, who knows when he’ll cause trouble outside and drag us down with him.”

Yang Xin looked up, annoyed, “Let flowers fall and water flow; don’t worry so much.”

“Damn it!”

Wang Dalong almost swore.

Yan Xinlei, concentrating on his game, casually brushed him off, “Humans have their way of playing, Undead have their tactics. If you use only one strategy, even Sky couldn’t save you.”

“Damn it!”

Wang Dalong’s face darkened, almost spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Just then, the dorm door opened, and Zhou Buqi returned, shouting, “Are you all here, brothers? Have you eaten?”

“Already eaten!”

Wang Dalong suppressed his annoyance. This whole day had been stifling him.

Zhou Buqi chuckled inwardly.

Indeed, a normal person couldn’t stand this dorm atmosphere. One was swimming in the ocean of literature, the other immersed in the world of games. Staying in this room could suffocate a person.

He pretended not to notice the dissatisfaction in Wang Dalong’s tone. They were university students, and roommates at that; there was no need to be petty.

“It’s fine if you’ve eaten. How about we go out for a drink? It’s only a little past seven, still early.”

“Alright!”

Wang Dalong’s eyes lit up instantly.

Yan Xinlei said without lifting his head, “You two go, I don’t drink.”

Yang Xin also replied, “I’m allergic to alcohol, I can’t drink.”

Wang Dalong was furious. Why did this dorm have no collective cohesion at all? They didn’t participate in group activities, how could this be allowed?

Zhou Buqi, however, didn’t seem to mind and smiled, “Then just the two of us?”

Wang Dalong’s mood improved, and he laughed, “Alright, no problem! Let’s have a good round tonight! I can tell, you’re from the Northeast too, right? Jilin Province?”

“Mm.”

“I’m from Liaoning Province.”

Wang Dalong got out of bed and started putting on clothes. It was still hot and humid outside, so he didn’t need much, but this guy was a bit of a show-off and had to dress up before going out.

While looking in the mirror, he casually said, “I say, Old Yang, Old Yan, the freshman welcoming ceremony will be over tomorrow, and the semester will officially start. Why are you two so unresponsive?”

“Freshman welcoming ceremony?”

Zhou Buqi slapped his forehead. How could he have forgotten about this!

He was supposed to speak on behalf of the undergraduate freshmen at the welcoming ceremony!

“No, I have something to do, I need to leave immediately. Dalong, let’s drink another day!” Zhou Buqi hurried away, turning and leaving.

Wang Dalong was stunned.

Tears almost fell.

Damn it!

You can’t bully people like this!

…

At a grand occasion like the freshman ceremony, university leaders would all attend, so not just anything could be said. Speeches had to be carefully crafted and reviewed.

So Zhou Buqi didn’t need to write his own. He just had to go to the University Student Union to get the script and read from it.

“Junior Brother Zhou, one thing I must tell you: make sure to read exactly what’s in the script. You can cut things out, but don’t add anything randomly, understand?” Senior Sister Xu Jianing advised earnestly.

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Don’t worry, I know. By the way, how was business today?”

“Not bad, sold over two hundred cards.” Xu Jianing was in a good mood. She looked him up and down. “Where did you go? You’re dressed so formally?”

Zhou Buqi hadn’t had time to change when he returned, dressed in a shirt and trousers. He joked, “I thought you had found me a girlfriend and wanted to meet her. I couldn’t possibly let you lose face, could I?”

Xu Jianing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “You’re too eager, aren’t you?”

“Too many wolves and too little meat; gotta strike first,” Zhou Buqi sighed.

Xu Jianing kept laughing, “Why are you so funny? How about this, I’ll tell you. I’m not too familiar with the first-year situation, but I do know about the senior students in their second and third years.”

“Senior students are good! Dignified on the outside, but perhaps a bit more… eager on the inside, making them easier to win over.”

“Get out of here, don’t talk nonsense.”

Xu Jianing rolled her eyes at him, then held up a palm, “There are five particularly famous beauties in our school. One is Qiao Tingting, a junior in the Marxism-Leninism College, but she has a boyfriend and they seem to be living together. Another is Li Yao, a junior in the Economics and Management College, who also has a boyfriend, so you have no chance. There are two from the School of Arts and Law, Shi Jinglin, a junior, and Wu Yu, a sophomore. They both seem to be single. Then there’s Bai Xue from the School of Automation, but she’s a bookworm, so no one has a chance with her. If you don’t mind them being senior students, you can try Shi Jinglin and Wu Yu.”

“Are they all single?” Zhou Buqi asked in return.

“Of course. Many people in our Student Union have their eyes on them, but even taking turns hasn’t worked. But you’re different, you’re so humorous, maybe you’ll succeed.”

Xu Jianing spoke casually, clearly having accumulated a lot of resources in this area.

“Okay, I understand.”

Zhou Buqi had a plan in mind. It seemed he had truly misunderstood Wu Yu. She had been surrounded by a large group of boys since high school, and she really knew how to hold back.

On the way back, he called Wu Yu.

“Is… is something wrong?” Wu Yu’s voice was weak, a little scared.

“Come downstairs, I’m waiting for you downstairs,” Zhou Buqi said lightly.

“Isn’t it too late?” Wu Yu said, still a bit fearful.

Zhou Buqi snapped, “Late my ass, it’s not even dark yet!”

“It’ll be too dark to come back,” Wu Yu muttered softly.

“Are you stupid?” Zhou Buqi was impatient, “Don’t you know your own situation? Do you want me to swim in a pool of blood?”

“Oh… oh, alright, I’ll be right down.”

“Hurry up!”

Five minutes later, Wu Yu rushed downstairs, wearing a white spaghetti-strap dress, her hair wet, seemingly just washed, casually draped over her shoulders, which gave her a hint of charm.

Zhou Buqi looked at her a few more times, and she nervously took two steps back.

“Who cares to look at you?”

“Then… why are you looking for me?”

After their previous experience of “sharing a bed,” although neither of them spoke of it, Wu Yu was deeply apprehensive, especially afraid of him.

Zhou Buqi asked, “Is there someone in your college named Shi Jinglin?”

“Ah? Oh, yes, there is.”

“Is she pretty?”

“Mm, super pretty, and tall too, about 1.72 meters.”

“What about her figure?”

“Very good.”

“Compared to you?”

“I…”

Wu Yu’s words caught in her throat, her face slightly red.

“Hm? Cat got your tongue?” Zhou Buqi frowned.

“About the same,” Wu Yu said softly.

“Wavy hair?”

“Not… not loose. Senior Sister Shi is virtuous.”

“Mm.”

Zhou Buqi nodded in satisfaction, narrowing his eyes, lost in thought.

Wu Yu tentatively asked, “Are you looking for Senior Sister Shi for something?”

“I want to pursue her,” Zhou Buqi replied casually.

Wu Yu’s face darkened, cursing inwardly, What kind of person is this? So shameless! She wanted to scold him, but seeing his sloppy, rogue-like demeanor, she couldn’t say anything. Especially his sharp gaze, which she couldn’t meet directly.

This was probably due to their status.

Her father was an employee of Wanchao Group, but he was the direct grandson of Wanchao Group’s chairman.

“Do you have any good ideas?”

“Huh?”

“Hard of hearing?”

“No, I heard you. What kind of idea?”

Zhou Buqi said, “Do you have any way to get her without wasting my time, energy, emotions, or money?”

“What?”

Wu Yu was stunned, thinking she was hearing a joke.

Get what?

Even realistic dolls cost money to buy!

Zhou Buqi, however, had a serious expression, “You know I’m busy with my startup, I don’t have time for useless things. I’m entrusting this matter to you. You handle it well for me.”

“What matter?” Wu Yu was completely confused.

Zhou Buqi snapped, “Did you hear me or not? You help me get Shi Jinglin! I don’t have time to waste so much energy on her. You just handle it for me and bring her to me.”

“Handle it…” Wu Yu was dumbfounded, feeling like she was dreaming. Could someone even help with something like this? She looked bewildered, “How… how do I do that?”

“How you do it is your business!” Zhou Buqi glanced at her, “If you handle this well, what happened that night at the hotel will be forgotten. If you don’t… Hmph!”

With a cold snort, Wu Yu shivered in fright, feeling like she had met a devil. “If… if I don’t handle it well?”

In reality, even before starting, she knew there would be no result.

It definitely wouldn’t succeed.

Can you really find a third party to pursue a girl for you?

Do you think I’m some unscrupulous intermediary forcing sales?

Zhou Buqi’s sharp eyes glared at her, “If you can’t handle it, you’ll take over yourself!”

“I’ll take over?”

Wu Yu didn’t react for a moment. Only after Zhou Buqi turned and walked away gracefully and decisively did she let out a sharp “Ah!” Her face flushed then paled.

After he turned the corner and was far away, she angrily shouted, “Who do you think you are? An overbearing male CEO from a Qiong Yao novel? I think you’re just a super villain, a shameless scumbag!”

Chapter 27: The Counselor Was Furious

The Freshman Welcome Assembly was a torment prepared for the freshmen, to make them understand that university life wasn’t all fun and games.

The scorching sun beat down, and oil could practically drip from their faces.

Who cares if it’s the Principal or Vice Principal, whoever speaks gets cursed at!

“Is this ever going to end? They’re talking endlessly about trivial matters!”

“Can it end already? The leaders have no real business, but we do.”

“Clichés and empty words, this university is no good.”

“Are they crazy? Addicted to talking?”

…

Almost all freshmen shared the same thoughts.

Wang Dalong was a little better, as he had a more shocking discovery. He widened his eyes, “Damn it, where did that kid Zhou Buqi go? Didn’t he come out with us? Did he sneak off halfway?”

Yang Xin looked left and right, also exclaiming in surprise, “He’s not even attending the Freshman Welcome Assembly? Isn’t he being too bold? ‘How can I bow and scrape before the powerful, sacrificing my happiness?’ Zhou Buqi has the spirit of a poetic immortal.”

“You can actually not attend?” Yan Xinlei looked regretful. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come. I’d rather go back to the dorm and play a few rounds of games with this time.”

“Damn it!”

Wang Dalong was full of complaints, almost exploding. “Are you two idiots? Do you know how serious this is? He might get expelled! It’d be one thing if he just got expelled, but he might drag the three of us down with him!”

“Ah? No way?”

“Why not? And you call yourself a literary youth, don’t you understand the principle that those who touch pitch are defiled? Our dorm has a loose cannon, how can the three of us be fine?”

“Then what should we do?” Yang Xin was an honest man, and he was genuinely scared.

Wang Dalong said gravely, “I think we should take the initiative and turn passive into active, otherwise we’ll also suffer.”

“How do we take the initiative?” Yang Xin looked very nervous.

“Report this to the counselor immediately!” Wang Dalong offered a very nasty idea.

“Ah?”

Yang Xin’s eyes widened, stunned.

Isn’t this throwing Zhou Buqi under the bus? They’re all dormmates, is this really necessary?

Even Yan Xinlei, who didn’t care about anything, couldn’t listen anymore and firmly said, “No, we’ll always be running into each other. We’re dormmates, you’re going too far.”

Wang Dalong said angrily, “I say, do you two understand or not? This is the Freshman Welcome Assembly! The Principal and Vice Principal are all here, it’s very significant. As long as that kid is discovered, he’s guaranteed to be expelled. If we know and don’t report it, we’ll also be disciplined!”

“N-no way?” Yang Xin was a little scared.

Yan Xinlei disagreed, firmly stating, “Even if we get disciplined, we can’t be informers. Wang Dalong, I think you’re having ill intentions.”

Wang Dalong was about to explode with anger. “I’m doing this for your own good, and you’re not even grateful? Damn it, I’m practically Tan Sitong! I don’t care anymore, for the survival of Dorm Room 205, I’ve given up!”

Then, he turned around and waved towards the counselor.

The counselor was a middle-aged man in his forties, surnamed Lu, named Lu You. Because of this name, he was often teased by students. But he was very experienced and quietly walked over, asking in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Do you need to go to the restroom?”

Wang Dalong, with a look of grave righteousness, said solemnly, “Counselor, there’s something I must report to you.”

Seeing his expression, the counselor thought his parents had both passed away and was greatly alarmed. “When did this happen?”

Wang Dalong said with a look of deep regret, “Counselor, Zhou Buqi from our dorm is missing.”

“Hmm?”

The counselor didn’t react for a moment.

A freshman daring not to attend the Freshman Welcome Assembly? In his twenty-plus years of work, he had never heard of such a thing.

Wang Dalong said gravely, “Counselor, Zhou Buqi must have run off. Just a few days after school started, he’d leave early and come back late, always smelling of alcohol. I think he’s gone astray, hanging out with people from society.”

The counselor took a sharp intake of breath.

There’s a student like this?

“Is he really not here?”

“Yes, we’ve looked everywhere, he’s not here. We were together when we left the dorm, but in the blink of an eye, the assembly started, and he ran off. He must have gone out to fool around.”

The counselor’s face darkened. “What’s his name? Zhou Buqi?”

“Yes.”

“Does he have a phone?”

“Yes!”

Wang Dalong’s eyes lit up. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and reported Zhou Buqi’s number to the counselor.

“You all listen carefully. I’ll handle this.”

The counselor was furious. He silently returned to the back of the line, then took out his phone and dialed Zhou Buqi’s number.

He had taught many bad students, but this was the first time he had encountered such a hell-raiser.

If he wasn’t disciplined, he’d run wild!

…

On the podium, Zhou Buqi sat in a corner seat in the third row.

Even in a corner seat, there was a canopy overhead, shielding him from the direct sunlight. Looking at the listless freshmen in the stadium, he couldn’t help but feel a certain gleefulness.

This was probably the joy of the school leaders’ long-winded, rambling speeches.

At this moment, Zhou Buqi was looking down at a text message.

“Student Zhou, I did some market research, and everyone is very against plastic cups, especially for hot milk tea. It might react with the plastic, producing harmful substances. Regardless of whether this is a rumor, our milk tea definitely can’t be served in plastic cups.”

Xue Baoshan was truly diligent, already conducting market research so quickly.

Zhou Buqi quickly replied, “What do you think?”

Xue Baoshan: “Use paper cups, like Starbucks, it’s more premium. If consumed in the store, we can use glass cups, even more upscale.”

Zhou Buqi: “Paper cups cost more, but we won’t need to order a sealing machine in the early stages, which is also a good thing.”

Xue Baoshan: “We can also put advertisements on the cups and lids.”

Zhou Buqi: “Aside from registering as individual businesses under different names, everything else – promotion, packaging, decoration – must be consistent across all three stores, coordinated according to chain store requirements. If there are disagreements, your opinion will take precedence. I’ll inform the other two.”

Xue Baoshan: “What about the name? What should it be called?”

Just then, a call came in.

It was an unknown number.

Zhou Buqi directly hung up and continued texting: “Yuanwei.”

Xue Baoshan: “Yuanwei Milk Tea, ‘taste of fate’? Is this hinting at the wedding planning company?”

Zhou Buqi: “Yes, for now. As for the recipes and paper cups, I’ll handle them after military training.”

Xue Baoshan: “I don’t understand why you insist on participating in military training.”

Zhou Buqi: “To conduct oneself with integrity.”

Xue Baoshan: “What does that mean?”

Just then, the unknown number called again. Zhou Buqi hung up again and replied simply: “Starting a business is like building a house; you need a solid foundation. Watch me go for the title of Outstanding Military Trainee first.”

Then, the unknown number called again. Zhou Buqi was furious. He answered, muttering quietly, “Are you ever going to stop?”

“I’m Lu You.”

“I don’t care if you’re traveling or on vacation, I… Hmm? Counselor?”

Zhou Buqi froze for a moment, then it dawned on him instantly. So it was the counselor calling?

The counselor was clearly furious, his tone full of reproach. “Where are you?”

Zhou Buqi said strangely, “I’m at the stadium, what’s wrong?”

“Still daring to lie?” The counselor immediately became serious, feeling that this student was beyond redemption, truly the worst of the bad students.

Zhou Buqi said aggrievedly, “Counselor, how am I lying? I’m really at the Freshman Welcome Assembly.”

“I demand you come back immediately and appear before me, otherwise I will apply to the school for disciplinary action against you!” The counselor was extremely angry, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Zhou Buqi was speechless. “Counselor, if I appear before you now and ruin something big, then I’ll truly be disciplined.”

“Something big? You have no damn important business!”

The counselor was beside himself with rage, feeling that this student could no longer be described as just a bad student; he had the demeanor of a street hoodlum.

Just then, a Student Union girl in a cheongsam dress, with a beautiful face, walked up beside Zhou Buqi. Bending low, she whispered, “Stop talking on the phone, you’re next.”

Zhou Buqi quickly nodded, then hurriedly said into the phone, “Counselor, I really have something important, you’ll know in a moment. I can’t talk anymore, I need to prepare.”

With that, he hung up directly.

…

The counselor listened to the “beep-beep” sound from the phone, stunned.

That student actually hung up on him?

Everything’s gone haywire, completely haywire!

Did this Zhou Buqi really think he was God Almighty?

He called back right away, so angry he wished he could smash his phone on the ground.

It was turned off!

This kind of student must be severely punished! No leniency!

Counselor Lu You was about to explode.

Wang Dalong was secretly watching from his spot. From the counselor’s expression, he could tell that he was rebuffed by Zhou Buqi.

“You reap what you sow, there’s no escaping it!”

Wang Dalong sighed inwardly, wiping his face. He thought that Zhou Buqi was totally done for now, and he no longer needed to pretend. However, if he could give his brother a boost before he’s ‘dead’, it counted as dormmate camaraderie.

A slight smirk played on his lips. He had already planned it out: he would climb over his dormmate’s dead body. At the very least, he would gain the counselor’s favor, and maybe even become a class monitor or something.

He bent low and walked to the back of the line, approaching the counselor. He said with a look of concern, “Counselor, have you contacted Zhou Buqi?”

The counselor’s face was grim, on the verge of exploding. “He’s not coming back!”

Wang Dalong took a sharp intake of breath, thinking that this fellow from the Northeast was truly impressive, not even giving the counselor face. He sighed, with a look of commiseration. “Actually, I’ve advised him many times that it’s not easy to study at the University of Science and Technology, and he should cherish this hard-won opportunity, but… sigh!”

The counselor glanced at him, his expression softening. He patted Wang Dalong’s shoulder. “Hmm, your name is Wang Dalong, right? Work hard, don’t just let loose once you get to university.”

Wang Dalong felt light all over from the pat. He said with a chuckle, “I know, I definitely won’t be like Zhou Buqi. For all four years of university, I’ll definitely stick close to the counselor and do well in my studies.”

Just then, a school leader finished speaking. The host enthusiastically announced, “Next, we invite Student Zhou Buqi from the Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, a freshman, to deliver a speech on behalf of the freshmen. Let’s give him a round of applause!”

Both of them froze!

Chapter 28: Such Poor Quality

The voice was very clear.

The Counselor and Wang Dalong both froze, as if their souls had left their bodies.

It was the Counselor, being more experienced, who reacted first. He murmured, “Wang Dalong, did you hear that clearly?”

“Ah? I…”

Wang Dalong was scared stiff. His mind went blank, and he stammered, unable to speak.

The Counselor pressed, “Is the freshman representative Zhou Buqi?”

“Uh… it seems… maybe…?” Wang Dalong simply couldn’t believe his ears and could only bury his head in the sand. “Perhaps… perhaps it’s just a coincidence of names.”

“Coincidence of names?”

The Counselor sneered.

He was the first-year Counselor for the Department of Business Administration at the School of Economics and Management!

Would he not know if there was a coincidence of names?

Wang Dalong heard the Counselor’s angry tone and was filled with bitter regret. He said with a mournful face, “Counselor, I… I really didn’t know…”

“That’s enough.”

The Counselor’s attitude was very cold, and the concern he had shown earlier was gone. Being a counselor in college wasn’t just about having ability or getting along well with students.

The most important thing was to grasp the spirit of the higher-ups’ directives!

Then, to convey them to the students, preventing them from being led astray by the influence of evil Western ideologies.

Understanding politics was an essential quality.

Many leaders of departments, especially those in positions focused on ideological work, were promoted from the counselor role.

At this moment, the Counselor had already figured it out. He had probably made a huge mistake.

He had mistaken a top student, whom he should have been trying to win over, for a poor one.

One must remember, Beijing University of Science and Technology was a science and engineering university, and the School of Economics and Management was just a secondary liberal arts school.

For a liberal arts student to go on stage and represent the freshmen in a speech, and to bypass him, the Counselor, was unprecedented in the history of Beijing University of Science and Technology.

It was clear how strong the connections behind this student were.

Just then, Zhou Buqi bypassed many school leaders and went up to speak.

“Respected teachers, dear classmates, good morning everyone. I am Zhou Buqi, a first-year freshman from the School of Economics and Management. I feel incredibly honored to stand here today and represent the first-year freshmen. Recalling my third year of high school…”

Wang Dalong was dumbfounded, seemingly unable to comprehend.

The Counselor narrowed his eyes into a slit and waved him off, “You can go back first.”

Wang Dalong bowed slightly and slipped away like a wisp of smoke, feeling utterly miserable, as if he’d swallowed a bellyful of bitter herbs.

…

After the Freshman Welcome Assembly, their true university life began.

Back in the classroom, there was first a meeting where the Counselor spoke, followed by self-introductions, getting to know each other, and the election for class monitor.

Zhou Buqi was in Class 5. He had no interest in running for class monitor and was lazy during his self-introduction, showing little interest in these freshman greenhorns.

However, he was a celebrity; he had just spoken on behalf of the freshmen.

As soon as his self-introduction ended, the Counselor led the applause.

Then everyone applauded together.

When the applause ended, the Counselor spoke with a smile, “Logically, the class monitor should be elected by each class. However, Zhou Buqi is excellent enough, and he delivered an impassioned speech representing all freshmen at the assembly. I believe he has sufficient ability to be the class monitor of Class 5. What do you all say?”

What could they say?

Of course, they agreed.

Zhou Buqi was fuming. He thought, “Lu You, why don’t you go travel properly instead of being a counselor? Are you deliberately messing with me? I’m busy with my startup; I don’t have time to fool around with these little brats!”

“No, I’m not suitable,” Zhou Buqi stood up and directly refused.

The Counselor thought he was being modest and said with a smile, “Suitable, why wouldn’t you be suitable? Everyone in the department thinks you’re suitable. What do you all say, isn’t that right?”

What could they say?

Everyone naturally expressed their agreement.

Zhou Buqi was so annoyed. He gritted his teeth and said, “The selection of the class monitor should be fair, just, and open. Although I am excellent, I cannot be an exception. I propose that all students in Class 5 can come up and give a speech, and whoever gets the most votes will be the class monitor!”

The Counselor was stunned for a moment, realizing he truly didn’t want to be class monitor. He couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

That’s not right!

Don’t people with connections usually like to be officials? Being a class monitor in class, or a minister in the Student Union, why is this kid being so special?

However, the other party’s background hadn’t been thoroughly investigated yet, so the Counselor didn’t want to offend him. He smiled and said, “Since Zhou Buqi is so modest, then let’s vote. Class 5, let’s start. Who wants to run for class monitor?”

With such an excellent example already set, who would dare to go up?

The students of Class 5 looked at each other, but no one moved.

After a while, Wang Dalong gave a light cough, stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked towards the stage, seemingly intending to run for class monitor.

The Counselor’s face immediately darkened. He said faintly, “Wang Dalong, please go back to your seat. You are not suitable to be class monitor.”

Wang Dalong suddenly looked up, his face frozen.

Damn it!

Isn’t that too harsh?

I’m a subordinate to Zhou Buqi, but you treat me like a grandpa?

Alright, you’re older, I concede!

Wang Dalong’s face was ashen. He turned away sullenly, slumped heavily into his seat, and tears flowed inwardly.

…

Business Administration was a liberal arts department, and students would only be streamed in their second year. Those with good grades would go to the Accounting Department, while those with poorer grades would remain in the Department of Business Administration.

So, there were more freshmen.

Class 5 had thirty-four students, with more girls (nineteen) than boys (fifteen).

The final choice for class monitor was a girl named Tian Qiaoran. She was a stout girl, weighing over one hundred kilograms, with a loud voice, and quite boisterous and talkative.

Zhou Buqi didn’t care about such trivial matters at all.

He attended Beijing University of Science and Technology to have a reason to escape his family, to gain a respectable social standing, and to start a business.

The Counselor also saw that his ambition wasn’t in the class. After dismissing them, he spoke to Zhou Buqi privately, “I heard you’re out early and back late every day, not staying in the dorm?”

“Yes.”

In the hallway, Zhou Buqi nodded calmly.

“Are you busy with something?” The Counselor tried digging for details.

Zhou Buqi didn’t hide it. After all, he was the Counselor, and there would be many more opportunities to interact in the future, with many things requiring his cooperation. So, he told the truth: “I’m starting a business.”

“Starting a business?”

“Yes, the Campus Card agency from a while ago, that was my doing.”

The Counselor’s heart skipped a beat.

Good heavens, that’s impressive!

He had been a counselor at Beijing University of Science and Technology for twenty years and had currently managed to secure a minor official position in the Youth League Committee of the School. He was well aware of how difficult and immature student entrepreneurship usually was.

But the Campus Card agency that suddenly became popular a few days ago was clearly an organized and premeditated operation. Its process and methods were quite astonishing.

It could be said to be a model for student entrepreneurship at Beijing University of Science and Technology over the past few decades!

He hadn’t expected it to be the work of this rascally and seemingly unreliable student right in front of him.

“Then, the speech at today’s Freshman Welcome Assembly?” The Counselor tried to keep his tone as calm as possible.

Zhou Buqi said indifferently, “My Campus Card business received Principal Hu’s approval. He also recommended me for today’s speech.”

“Principal Hu?”

The Counselor was slightly taken aback, a bit slow to react.

He was a counselor at the School of Economics and Management. The highest school leaders he had interacted with were the Dean and Associate Dean of the School of Economics and Management.

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “The Principal Hu who spoke at the Freshman Welcome Assembly.”

The Counselor twitched his lips, somewhat speechless.

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Counselor, is there anything else?”

The Counselor clenched his fists behind his back, took a deep breath, and smiled, “Since you’re starting a business, you must be very busy, right? Will you participate in military training? Or should I write you a leave slip?”

Zhou Buqi immediately shook his head and said earnestly, “Military training can help me understand the philosophy that the boundless sea of knowledge requires diligent effort to navigate, and cultivate a tenacious will. While strengthening my physique, it can also foster the formation and development of my moral character. I absolutely must participate in military training.”

Alright, he was lectured by a student.

The Counselor’s face flushed with embarrassment. He gave a light cough. “Alright then. You have my phone number; you can contact me if you need anything.”

Leaving the teaching building, Zhou Buqi headed straight for the supermarket.

Military training was tomorrow; he needed to prepare.

Entering the supermarket, he walked around a few aisles and came to the women’s products section.

“Excuse me, student, which of these brands is softer?”

Zhou Buqi pointed to a row of sanitary pads on the shelf and humbly asked a pretty female student.

“Pervert!”

The pretty female student glared at him fiercely, turned, and walked away.

Zhou Buqi wasn’t discouraged. He found another female student who looked decent and asked kindly, “Student, I’d like to ask, which of these sanitary pads is softer and fits better?”

“Are you a freak?”

The female student was startled, cursed, and ran off.

Zhou Buqi didn’t give up.

An entrepreneur should have an indomitable spirit; how could he give up easily?

He found a third female student, walked up, and quietly asked, “Student, which of these is more comfortable?”

This female student was very well-mannered and had a good attitude, clearly a well-bred young lady. After her cheeks flushed slightly, she pursed her lips and smiled, “Seven Degrees Space, that one’s pretty good. Are you buying it for your girlfriend?”

“No, I’m buying it for myself.”

“What the hell, are you crazy?”

The well-mannered female student cursed, turned, and walked away. After a few steps, she turned back, spat in Zhou Buqi’s direction, and yelled with a look of disgust, “You pervert!”

Zhou Buqi sighed, looking up at the sky. “Why is the quality of girls at the University of Science and Technology so poor? First, there was someone who tricked me into getting a room but wouldn’t let me touch them, and now I’ve encountered a bunch of people slandering me mercilessly. Who did I offend?”

Fortunately, he had gotten his answer. He picked up a pack of Seven Degrees Space sanitary pads.

While waiting in line to pay, many girls pointed at him. Some blushed, some showed disdain, some mockery, and some curiosity.

Especially the female student behind him, whose face was flushed red, looking unbearably shy.

After paying, Zhou Buqi opened the pack of Seven Degrees Space sanitary pads and kindly said to the female student behind him, “Student, I can’t use all of these. Would you like a few?”

The female student shrieked and cursed, “Shameless!”

She ran off in a hurry.

Zhou Buqi was a bit dumbfounded and very puzzled.

Is it that exaggerated?

What era is this? You’re university students, are your minds still so conservative? You’re not even as open-minded as elementary school students ten years from now!

However, the plump, forty-something sales clerk auntie was very open-minded. She said with a laugh, “Young man, if you don’t want them, you can give them to me.”

Zhou Buqi froze.

After a moment of stunned silence, he picked up the Seven Degrees Space sanitary pads, abandoned his purchase, and fled in disarray.

Chapter 29: Just a Few Curses Will Do

“The soles of military training shoes are really hard and thin. Standing at attention and marching are pure torture.”

“But if you put a sanitary napkin inside, it’s different. It’s very soft and comfortable.”

“This is all experience!”

“It’s a pity others don’t understand.”

Zhou Buqi sneaked back to the dorm room like a thief, only to find it completely transformed, spotless, and all items neatly arranged.

Wang Dalong was bent over, sweating profusely as he mopped the floor.

The other two, one reading poetry and the other playing games, completely ignored him.

Zhou Buqi saw through it at a glance.

With Wang Dalong’s boisterous, outspoken Northeastern personality, would he willingly let himself be bullied?

He must have done something wrong and felt guilty, so he was atoning for it here.

Seeing Zhou Buqi return, Wang Dalong greeted him with the enthusiasm of a waiter, a smile blossoming on his face. “Zhou Buqi, you’re back? Come on, quick, have a seat.”

Zhou Buqi sat down, smiling but silent, watching his performance.

Wang Dalong put down the mop and went to the table under his bed, bringing back several bags of fruit: grapes, bananas, apples, ugly oranges, dragon fruit…

It looked like it cost around one hundred yuan.

“This…” Zhou Buqi was quite surprised.

Wang Dalong placed the fruit on his desk and said with a laugh, “These are all for you.”

“For me?”

“Yes, theirs have already been distributed.”

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi looked up and, sure enough, Yang Xin and Yan Xinlei’s desks also had some fruit, though not as much, only worth a few yuan.

At this, he understood.

This Wang Dalong must have done something behind his back that he felt bad about.

“Why for me? I don’t deserve such a reward without merit.” Zhou Buqi remained calm.

Wang Dalong said enthusiastically, “You spoke at the assembly, for about twenty minutes! Your throat must be exhausted, right? Eat more fruit to replenish yourself. You’ve brought glory to our Dorm Room 205, we’re willing to spend any amount!”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Alright then, I’ll accept these. Oh, right, our dorm doesn’t have a dorm leader yet. Old Yang, Old Yan, what do you two think about Dalong being the dorm leader?”

“Sure, I have no objections.” Yang Xin, who was reading poetry, replied readily.

Yan Xinlei, who was playing games, also quickly responded, “If you think it’s fine, then it’s fine. I’m okay with it.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Then it’s settled, Dalong. From now on, you are the dorm leader of our Dorm Room 205.”

Wang Dalong was very excited.

One door closes, another opens!

He didn’t become Class Monitor, but being a dorm leader is pretty good too.

Especially when he tells people outside that Zhou Buqi, who spoke at the freshman assembly, is from their dorm and has to listen to him – how much face would that give him?

Great!

Good news!

Then, Zhou Buqi stood up, patted his shoulder, “Since you’re the dorm leader, you definitely have to take on the responsibility of looking after the dorm. How about this: I think the future fruit supply for our dorm will be entirely up to you. No problem, right? Do you two agree?”

“Agreed.” Yang Xin praised him without end.

Yan Xinlei rarely took his eyes off the computer screen, turning his head to chuckle, “Alright, dorm leader, so we’ll be relying on you for fruit from now on?”

Wang Dalong forced a smile that was uglier than a cry. “Alright, fruit only costs a few yuan, no problem!”

…

Zhou Buqi picked up the fruit and went out to meet Guo Pengfei.

The two met in the Wanxiu Garden Canteen. Guo Pengfei handed over a document and said, “These are the preferential policies our school provides for student entrepreneurship. There are seven items in total, and they’re all pretty good.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t look at the document. He called Wu Yu’s dorm room, asked her to come over, then asked, “Which seven items?”

“First, the school can provide academic status management for entrepreneurial members, meaning entrepreneurs can switch to majors suitable for entrepreneurial development, like your Department of Business Administration.”

“What kind of bullshit policy is this!”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Just because it’s the Department of Business Administration means you’ll succeed in business? Is this some kind of success theory?

Guo Pengfei, however, took it seriously. “I think it’s pretty good, I really want to switch majors…”

“Absolutely not!”

Zhou Buqi immediately interrupted him, his face showing an indescribable solemnity. “Do you know why I chose you and Liu Wenbo to be my startup partners?”

“Why?” Guo Pengfei had never really thought about it.

Zhou Buqi said, “Because you two are both computer experts!”

Guo Pengfei pondered for a moment, “Are you talking about the internet? Will we also develop towards the internet in the future?”

“That’s for sure.” Zhou Buqi said decisively, “Do you know who the richest person this year is?”

“The one from Shanda.”

“Do you know what happened with Baidu yesterday?”

“What happened?”

“Baidu spent fifty million yuan and offered shares to acquire the hao123 website.”

“That expensive?”

Guo Pengfei’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Zhou Buqi sneered, “You’re not done being surprised yet. That hao123 website was just a hobby project created by a network administrator in his spare time. The creator himself even got addicted to online games for a long time and didn’t maintain it.”

“A website created by one person…” Guo Pengfei took a deep breath, his face filled with shock. “This is a bubble! Is the internet bubble back?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head and said seriously, “No, the year 2000 was a bubble, what remained was the sediment. That’s right, the internet is back. The future is the era of the internet.”

After this brief yet explosive topic, the two continued to discuss campus entrepreneurship support.

It’s not good to aim too high and be unrealistic; you have to take it one step at a time.

“Second, if entrepreneurial members need to skip classes or rent houses outside, the school can give them the green light. Third is human resources support; the school will provide guiding teachers for entrepreneurs.”

“We won’t need this, right?”

Zhou Buqi curled his lip.

Let teachers guide entrepreneurship? If they were that capable, they would have gone solo long ago!

Guo Pengfei sighed, “It’s probably for risk control. If we don’t agree to teacher supervision, we might not be able to apply for the subsequent financial support.”

“They give money too?”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes lit up, suddenly overjoyed.

As expected of a top-tier university, quite generous!

Guo Pengfei said, “Yes, there’s money. The school has a ‘University Student Entrepreneurship Support Fund’ that can provide financial rewards of ten thousand to twenty thousand yuan to excellent entrepreneurial teams.”

Zhou Buqi stroked his chin, “If they give money, accepting a teacher’s supervision isn’t out of the question, provided he doesn’t micromanage. We have Principal Hu backing us, hehe, no one should be so blind. Alright, let’s do this and get our hands on that money!”

Guo Pengfei continued, “Then there’s venue support. The school will provide necessary venues and a good entrepreneurial environment. However, these venues are at most empty classrooms in the academic buildings; commercial shops on campus are impossible, they’ve all been transferred out.”

Just then, Wu Yu, wearing a white dress and white sandals, hurried into Wanxiu Garden Canteen. The moment she appeared, she became the center of attention.

She looked a little timid, asking in a soft voice, “You called for me?”

Although she was speaking to Zhou Buqi, Guo Pengfei, who was sitting opposite him, had his face flushed red, somewhat afraid to look directly at her beauty and graceful figure.

“These are for you. Take them back.”

Zhou Buqi pointed to the bags of apples, grapes, bananas, and other fruits on the dining table.

“Huh?”

Wu Yu’s beautiful eyes widened; she simply couldn’t believe it.

Second Young Master Zhou, the stingy one, actually bought her fruit? Doesn’t he just fiercely curse people? He has such a considerate side? It couldn’t be a prank, could it?

She stood there in a daze, motionless.

Zhou Buqi said angrily, “Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear me?”

“Oh, oh, oh, I heard you.”

Only after being cursed did Wu Yu relax and feel relieved. Happily, she slipped her fingers through the handles of the fruit bags, smiling sweetly as she said, “Thank you.”

Zhou Buqi let out a heavy hmph and waved his hand impatiently, “Get lost. I have important business here.”

“Oh, alright, goodbye then.”

Wu Yu cautiously glanced at him, picked up the fruit, and turned to leave.

She was extremely happy.

She even unconsciously hummed a tune, her heart filled with joy.

She was exceptionally beautiful. From high school to university, countless male classmates had pursued her and given her gifts. Not to mention fruit, she had received expensive items like watches and necklaces, but she had never felt such joy as she did today.

Those young boys tried every trick to flatter her, wishing they could pluck the moon from the sky, but she always felt they were like buzzing flies, very annoying.

Zhou Buqi was different. This guy was hateful most of the time, yet strangely, his image would occasionally surface in her mind, even appearing in her dreams.

It wasn’t rare for him to curse people daily, but for him to give her a few bags of fruit, showing a rare tenderness, that was truly immense happiness.

After Wu Yu happily left, Guo Pengfei frowned, very displeased with Zhou Buqi’s attitude, and lectured him, “Women are meant to be cherished; you can’t be like that.”

Zhou Buqi looked surprised, then feigned a profound expression. “Guo Pengfei, I have to criticize you a bit here. You’re right, hitting women can indeed make them feel pain, but we’re men, how can we use our hands? Just a few curses will do! Hitting someone is going too far.”

“Damn it!”

Guo Pengfei almost spat blood.

Is that what I meant?

When it comes to shamelessness, you truly are a master!

Alright, let’s just continue talking about entrepreneurship.

University of Science and Technology’s location is excellent, backed by many technology startup parks. If needed, the school can take responsibility for contacting and collaborating with these parks, allowing students to gain practical experience, listen to advice, and learn from them.

However, in Zhou Buqi’s view, these were all useless.

For him, the biggest help was money.

Tax reductions would also work.

According to local policies, individual businesses registered by university students can be exempt from registration fees, management fees, and template economic contract production costs, and income tax can also be waived for three years. However, business tax still needs to be paid.

It’s worth mentioning that university students are a special group who haven’t yet entered society, so they can operate first and register later.

In other words, they can open the shops first and operate for a period.

If successful, then go for industrial and commercial registration; if not, then close down completely.

This saved a lot of trouble for the preliminary preparations.

“Alright, let’s do it that way.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, then stood up and patted his shoulder, “These three milk tea shops are a test run, but even though it’s a test run, you still have to give it your all. If your performance ends up being the lowest, unable to even surpass a girl from Beijing Foreign Studies University, then others won’t be convinced if I want to promote you.”

Guo Pengfei felt immense pressure.

Chapter 30: The Troubles of Being Too Handsome

Military training began. The green-clad freshmen, struggling, miserable, and crestfallen, appeared at the Stadium.

The instructor for Class Five was a young man in his twenties with a southern Henan accent. When he asked the students to button up their clothes, his accent made “buttons” sound like “q-zi,” which always drew laughter from everyone.

This laughter wasn’t exactly friendly, but the instructor had excellent psychological resilience. Laughter or not, he still had to say what he needed to say.

The Capital in September was still muggy and hot.

During the standing posture exercise, it didn’t even take twenty minutes before a male classmate couldn’t persist and fainted, happily heading to the sick bay.

This wasn’t surprising; there were always people trying to shirk their duties everywhere.

However, Zhou Buqi’s attitude was extremely serious.

Especially serious!

Whether it was holding his leg up or standing at attention, he always tried his best to do it perfectly. When standing at attention, sweat dripped into his eyes, causing a strong stinging sensation, yet he stood proudly, unmoving.

Instructors were all experienced.

He knew perfectly well who was serious and who was slacking off.

However, university students weren’t soldiers, so the requirements weren’t as strict.

The current military training was centered around the “reporting performance.” As long as the final performance didn’t have too many major flaws, it was generally a “you’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good” situation. No one wanted to cause trouble, so they just turned a blind eye.

After two hours of training, there was a half-hour break.

The instructor waved Zhou Buqi over.

As Zhou Buqi walked over, another class happened to pass by, shouting slogans. The instructor clapped his hands and laughed loudly, “Good, good, good!”

Zhou Buqi was puzzled. They were marching like a scattered mess, and that was “good”? They had only trained for two hours; weren’t the standards too low? However, to find common ground, he also clapped enthusiastically and said loudly, “Good, truly good!”

Unexpectedly, the instructor then added, “Good, good, good, strolling the streets!”

Zhou Buqi twitched his lips and lightly coughed, “Instructor, did you call for me?”

The instructor turned to look at him, “Your training just now was quite good.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Military training is a rare opportunity for self-improvement. If one can’t even endure the hardships of university military training, how can they achieve anything great?”

“Your suffering is far from what we endure during our training.”

“I can imagine.”

“Do you want to step it up a notch?”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was slightly taken aback.

In both his past and present lives, he had never encountered a military training instructor like this. Was this a private tutor?

The instructor said, “You can join the Tactical Performance Team.”

“What team?”

“The Tactical Performance Team, a team personally led by our company commander.”

“What do they perform?”

“They set up props like shell craters, bunkers, and wooden stakes, and then the trainees navigate the obstacles and complete shooting exercises.”

“Will we fire guns?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Buqi’s heart skipped a beat, not because he liked firearms, but because using a firearm in the country was a relatively significant matter, something that could be added to one’s resume.

Why was he so determined to participate in military training?

Self-improvement was just an excuse.

He wanted to build an impressive resume for the future.

For ordinary people, campus military training wasn’t important; whether they became a model soldier or even participated at all didn’t matter.

However, for some important figures, it was very important.

Nothing related to the military was a small matter.

For Zhou Buqi, who aspired to become an important figure, participating diligently in military training and becoming a model soldier with outstanding performance was an honor even more important than a university diploma.

Only those with sound ideology would take campus military training seriously, and only those with outstanding performance in military training could become model soldiers.

This would greatly add points during political background checks.

Later, when Zhou Buqi truly became an important figure, applying for policy support from the state, seeking large-scale financing from banks, and so on, would all be beneficial. In an official-dominated country, there was no such thing as purely commercial business. Look at the top businessmen in the country now; which one didn’t have a very proper background? Those who didn’t either fell or were in the process of falling.

Zhou Buqi had grand ambitions in his heart, and he had to ensure that his actions, thoughts, inclinations, and ideals received greater recognition from the state.

No country was willing to cultivate traitorous businessmen.

“Alright, I accept.”

Zhou Buqi nodded without hesitation.

The instructor was a bit surprised, “Are you sure? The performance team’s training isn’t as simple as standing at attention or kicking your legs; the training is very tough.”

“How tough can it be?” Zhou Buqi smiled, “Tougher than your training in the military?”

The instructor shook his head, “Not that tough.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Then there’s your answer, isn’t there? You’re only a few years older than me, right? If you can persist, why can’t I?”

The instructor calmly said, “I’m just a junior high graduate; if I didn’t join the army, I wouldn’t have food to eat. You’re a university student, you’re different from me.”

Zhou Buqi gave a self-deprecating smile, “In my opinion, there’s no difference!”

The instructor looked at him intently for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, I’ll talk to the company commander. He’ll come to inspect, and if you pass, you’ll join the Tactical Performance Team.”

“Got it!”

Zhou Buqi returned to his team and heard his roommate Yang Xin complaining with a bitter face: “Hoeing fields at noon, we’re so exhausted. Every day we lift our legs, see how we’re tormented.”

“Alright, stop whining,” Zhou Buqi smiled, nudged him, and lowered his voice, “Tell me, what’s going on with Wang Dalong?”

“Well…”

“Stop pretending, hurry up and tell me!”

Yang Xin’s personality was a bit timid. After thinking for a moment, he put Wang Dalong’s fruit bribes out of his mind and quietly recounted the entire sequence of events.

Zhou Buqi listened, his expression twisted.

Holy crap!

This Wang Dalong, he’s really a damn genius!

His interpersonal communication skills are impressive!

No, to prove his own abilities were even stronger, Zhou Buqi had to make a move.

At this moment, the adjacent class also took a break. It seemed to be from the Department of Law, with more girls than boys.

Zhou Buqi observed for a while, then walked towards a short-haired girl who looked capable and was somewhat attractive, smiling, “Classmate, I have a message for you.”

“A message? What message?” The short-haired girl was a bit surprised.

Zhou Buqi pointed in the direction of Wang Dalong in his own class, “See him? The one with the thick eyebrows, tying his shoelaces. He asked me to tell you that he’s fallen for you.”

“Ah?”

The short-haired girl’s face flushed slightly, and her gaze darted away, “Then… why doesn’t he come and tell me himself?”

“He’s thin-skinned, too embarrassed, haha. How about I tell him to come and talk to you himself?”

“Alright, okay.”

“Great, then wait a moment. I’ll go back and ask him. Then, when the time comes, just wave to him. He’s never dated anyone before, so he’s very shy.”

Zhou Buqi returned to his class, squatted down beside Wang Dalong, and whispered, “There’s a girl over there who says she likes you and wants to date you.”

“What?”

Wang Dalong found it unbelievable, his eyes wide, “Don’t mess with me!”

“Why would I mess with you?” Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes impatiently, “Look over there, yes… see? She’s waving at you.”

Wang Dalong was so excited he almost jumped up. And honestly, the girl was quite pretty, not much worse than his girlfriend!

“No, no, I can’t, I already have a girlfriend.”

After a brief moment of excitement, Wang Dalong still resisted the temptation.

Zhou Buqi patted his shoulder and smiled, “Alright, then just shake your head at her to show your refusal. There are so many people here; if you talk, someone might notice.”

After Wang Dalong shook his head, Zhou Buqi returned to the short-haired girl, his expression somewhat angry, “Classmate, his name is Wang Dalong, and he’s really a piece of work.”

The short-haired girl was stunned, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Buqi said indignantly, “He said he initially thought your profile looked pretty and liked you. But when you turned your head and showed your full face, he thought you had a bit of triangular eyes. He shook his head, didn’t he? That means he doesn’t want to be with you anymore.”

The short-haired girl was furious, “Is there something wrong with him? I haven’t even said he looks like Zhu Bajie! What kind of person is he?!”

Zhou Buqi said, “Exactly, his character is terrible. Wait a moment, I’ll go back and criticize him.”

Returning to Wang Dalong’s side, Zhou Buqi sighed, “It’s over. That girl is cursing you, saying you abandon her after starting something, that you’re no good, and that you must take full responsibility.”

Wang Dalong was stunned, “Abandon her after starting something? Are you kidding me? I don’t even know her! Is there something wrong with her brain?”

“Alright then, I’ll go ask her again. This matter is her fault too.”

After dealing with Wang Dalong, Zhou Buqi returned to the short-haired girl, his expression grave.

“What’s wrong?” The short-haired girl asked proactively, looking very annoyed.

Zhou Buqi said bitterly, “He said your personality is like a tigress, and he’d rather find a prostitute than be with you…”

Before he could finish, the short-haired girl couldn’t hold back anymore. She strode quickly towards Wang Dalong.

Just as Wang Dalong was stunned and hadn’t reacted, two crisp sounds rang out.

“Slap!”

“Slap!”

The short-haired girl slapped Wang Dalong hard on both sides of his face.

Wang Dalong was completely bewildered, dumbfounded, feeling a burning pain on his face.

“Shameless! Obscene! Disgusting! Scumbag!”

Under the gaze of dozens of people from both classes, the short-haired girl furiously cursed the heartless Wang Dalong.

The two instructors also noticed the situation here and stood up to ask, “What’s going on?”

Zhou Buqi quickly said, “Nothing, nothing, just a small misunderstanding! An apology will fix it, it’s fine!” Then he leaned down and whispered to Wang Dalong, “The instructors have noticed. You don’t want to be disciplined, do you?”

“Ah? Disciplined?”

Wang Dalong was scared to death.

Many “Northeast tough guys” had this kind of personality: they seemed impressive and boisterous, but in reality, they were very timid, just putting on a brave front for appearances.

Hearing about disciplinary action, and seeing the short-haired girl with red eyes on the verge of tears, Wang Dalong’s heart wailed. How could he dare to resist?

It must be because he was too handsome, too charming, and his rejection of the girl’s confession made her angry out of embarrassment, right?

Sigh, these are the troubles of being too handsome!

Wang Dalong sighed inwardly, stood up, and bowed sincerely to apologize, “I’m sorry, I’m just too handsome, but I really can’t…”

“Shameless!”

The short-haired girl couldn’t bear it anymore and slapped him again.

This person’s skin was too thick!

Her hand was stinging from hitting him!

Chapter 31: My Military Training, My Company Commander

With Zhou Buqi’s full mediation, this small dispute finally came to an end.

It concluded perfectly with the girl slapping him four times and Wang Dalong bowing sincerely in apology.

The instructors found it difficult to intervene much in such conflicts between students, especially between male and female students. Their task was training, not emotional mediation.

However, this incident made Wang Dalong completely famous.

He became the hottest topic in the entire class, and even the entire department.

Class Monitor Tian Qiaoran quietly asked Zhou Buqi in private, “What exactly happened?”

Zhou Buqi said with a sigh, “I’m not too sure either. It seems Wang Dalong slept with that girl and then didn’t want to take responsibility.”

“What?”

Tian Qiaoran’s eyes widened, her ample figure jiggling. “That kind of Scumbag, I’ll sit on him and crush him to death!”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “Forget it, forget it. The girl has already forgiven him, so why should we get involved?”

Tian Qiaoran seemed to empathize, looking at Wang Dalong with eyes full of hatred.

This is the University of Science and Technology, a national key institution. How could such a Scumbag appear here?

He must have gotten in through the back door, right?

Zhou Buqi said seriously, “Don’t spread this matter, as it concerns the girl’s reputation. However, you can privately warn our female classmates to stay away from Wang Dalong to avoid harm.”

Tian Qiaoran’s expression turned serious. “Right, you’re still the most considerate. This kind of thing absolutely cannot be publicized. Don’t worry, leave this to me. I can’t speak for other departments, but in our Department of Business Administration, I guarantee not a single girl will fall for him.”

In the afternoon, the instructor’s Company Commander arrived. He observed Class 5’s training for twenty minutes, then, as expected, picked Zhou Buqi.

The Tactical Performance Team, assembled!

Ten young men, each 1.8 meters tall, stood in a row, their bodies ramrod straight, exuding a formidable aura.

The training was also more arduous.

It mainly involved rolling around on the ground and various forms of low crawl or high crawl.

After just one afternoon of training, when Zhou Buqi returned to his dorm room that evening and took off his camouflage uniform, he found his elbows were chafed.

However, that wasn’t the worst of it.

Wang Dalong was even worse off; he was soaking wet, as if he’d been drenched by rain.

Upon asking, it turned out that during their afternoon training, a few female classmates accidentally spilled water on him while drinking.

About… seven or eight bottles of mineral water.

As a result, Wang Dalong trained in wet clothes for the entire afternoon.

Zhou Buqi felt a pang of pity. He planned to find a few opportunities to speak with the Class Monitor, thinking that since they were all classmates, there was no need to be so excessive. It was true he had made a mistake, but no one is perfect; who can be without fault? Perhaps he would change in the future?

The next day, the intense crawling training continued.

They basically spent the entire day crawling on the ground.

It would have been fine if they were in the Stadium, as there was artificial turf there.

However, to maintain the secrecy of the tactical performance, their training ground was behind a relatively secluded, developing residential complex. The concrete ground was quite clean but very hard, making bumps and scrapes painful. The gravel ground was dusty; rolling around on it made them look like mud monkeys.

While shouting slogans, the Company Commander even cursed at them, saying that their ten-person formation wasn’t as loud as a thirty-plus person formation.

The training was brutal.

However, the ten “special forces members” were all very strong-willed; not a single one cried out in exhaustion.

On the fifth day, the main event finally arrived.

The Company Commander brought two old, dirty submachine guns with wooden stocks.

They were real guns!

Zhou Buqi recognized them as domestically produced Type 56 assault rifles, replicas of the AK47. He never expected that decades later, they would still be in use by the military, and by troops in The Capital at that.

The moment they saw the submachine guns, the special forces members’ eyes lit up with an unusual gleam, as if they felt the grueling training of the past few days had all been worth it.

Guns!

How many boys dream of this in their childhood?

Perhaps not all boys, but these young men, chosen and qualified to be special forces members, all had a special affection for guns.

Zhou Buqi, naturally, wasn’t as excited; he was more curious.

Are they really going to fire them?

In school?

The instructor replied that they would indeed be fired, but only with blank rounds. Furthermore, live-fire training wouldn’t happen anytime soon; bullets would only be issued on the last two days of military training.

The task for the next few days was weapon-carrying training!

This involved carrying the submachine gun, jumping into a foxhole, climbing out, and completing a firing posture; then moving to the next obstacle, jumping over it, lying down, and completing a firing posture; continuing on, it was a rapid high-low crawl to a designated spot, completing a firing posture; next was rope climbing, low crawl…

In short, after completing each small objective, they had to fire a few rounds, then proceed to the next objective.

However, the male students truly loved guns; their hands trembled when they touched them. Each time they completed a task and handed the submachine gun to the next person, they were a little reluctant.

Later, someone clever came up with an idea.

After a series of climbing, crossing, and gone through hardships, instead of immediately handing the gun to the next person, they would imitate what they saw on TV, stand at attention, salute the Company Commander, and ask for his critique.

By the time the critique was over, another minute had passed.

In other words, through this clever maneuver, he could hold onto the gun and caress it for an extra minute or so.

They were all university students, none inferior to the others, so someone immediately followed suit, just to keep the gun in their hands for a little longer.

Eventually, the Company Commander understood. He remained calm and said nothing more.

The next day, a scene that made all the “special forces members” ecstatic occurred.

The Company Commander brought a full ten Type 56 assault rifles!

When everyone saw the guns laid out on the ground, they could no longer restrain themselves, letting out a roar of cheers and applauding enthusiastically.

For this, they were punished by the Company Commander, made to stand at military posture for half an hour.

However, everyone found it sweet as honey, feeling like they had seen hope.

The subsequent training was no longer about enduring hardship or suffering; it was about fulfilling a dream.

Each person held a submachine gun in their arms, their eyes burning with passion.

Especially when they went to the cafeteria for meals, the feeling was indescribable!

Other companies (classes) formed square formations and marched neatly into the cafeteria. The Tactical Performance Team, however, was different; they formed a single file and walked in front of everyone, in full view, each person carrying a submachine gun.

Even Andy Lau’s arrival probably wouldn’t have caused such a stir.

All the boys’ eyes were red with envy, jealousy, and hatred. All the girls’ eyes were filled with tenderness, an unconcealable shining admiration.

However, during mealtime, the Company Commander made them eat standing up. The reason was that they had gone through hardships, their clothes were too dirty, and sitting down would soil the cafeteria chairs.

…

The evening military training activities mainly consisted of song battles.

The Tactical Performance Team only had ten people, and their leader was the Company Commander, so it wasn’t good to compete with his own soldiers. If they won, it was expected. If they lost, it would affect his prestige, so he preferred not to participate.

So every evening was the most relaxed time for the “special forces members.” They would quietly sit aside, bathed in the cool evening breeze, listening to other formations sing.

Sometimes the Company Commander would even specially bring them Arctic Ocean soda from the military service store, which they drank with great enjoyment.

However, it wasn’t just the special forces team listening to the songs; there were also sophomores and juniors.

They would bring watermelons and low stools, sit in the Stadium, cool off, eat watermelon, listen to songs, and even gesticulate wildly, giving random commands.

Some instructors were quite young, even younger than the upperclassmen, so naturally, they couldn’t intimidate them.

After several ineffective attempts to dissuade them, one instructor felt helpless. With a bitter expression, he came to the Company Commander, asking for his help to drive away those juniors.

They were simply disrupting their song battle training.

The Company Commander was very generous: “Alright, but I have a condition.”

The young instructor held up two fingers: “Twice!”

The Company Commander said calmly, “Five times!”

The young instructor said angrily, “Are you extorting me? Three times at most, otherwise, not even once.”

The Company Commander’s eyes gleamed as he laughed heartily, “Deal!”

Then, he rose with a cold smile and walked towards those juniors.

Over here, the “special forces members” were dumbfounded.

They looked at each other, their expressions strange, almost contorted.

Oh my goodness!

Is the atmosphere so open-minded these days?

Military regulations wouldn’t allow this, would they?

Zhou Buqi realized the seriousness of the situation and quickly warned everyone, “No one is allowed to talk about this. This is personal privacy; just pretend you didn’t hear it. If it gets out, the Company Commander will be finished!”

The others were also very smart, and having benefited from getting the submachine guns, they all nodded, indicating that no one would leak the secret.

A moment later, the Company Commander returned, looking pleased with himself, carrying a large, already-cut watermelon. He happily announced, “This was a huge gain! Three free sock washes, and a big watermelon! Come on, everyone, let’s finish it off!”

“Wh-what?”

The special forces members were all bewildered.

Wash socks?

What on earth are you talking about?

The Company Commander also found it strange, looking at them in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Someone couldn’t help but ask, “Company Commander, what you and that instructor were just talking about was… washing socks?”

The Company Commander said, “That’s right, he’s going to help me wash my socks three times, hehe.”

The special forces members looked at each other, their expressions strange, almost contorted.

Oh my goodness!

This was a huge misunderstanding!

Good thing they didn’t say anything, otherwise, it would have been a huge joke.

Just then, a class primarily composed of girls in front began to sing a melodious and graceful military song—

“Cold winds blow, leaves fall,

The army is a green flower,

Dear comrades, don’t miss home,

Don’t miss your mother.

My voice calls out day and night, so many heartfelt words,

Don’t let tears well up in your eyes at parting,

The barracks are our warm home…”

Zhou Buqi, eating watermelon in big bites, felt a little guilty. He turned his head to glance at the Company Commander and saw him quietly immersed in the female version of the military song, seemingly stirring childhood memories. His thoughts flowed like water, and tiny tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.

The night stretched out like a ribbon, thoughts lingering endlessly.

Chapter 32: Little Sister Bao, What Have You Done?

The two weeks of military training quickly came to an end.

On September 15th, witnessed by the school leaders, military leaders, and city bureau leaders, Beijing University of Science and Technology’s military training performance commenced.

First, the national flag was raised, and the national anthem played.

Then came the parade performance of each military training company. Leading the way was the instructor company, followed by the Tactical Performance Team.

Zhou Buqi was at the far left of the formation, bearing significant responsibility.

Under the scorching sun, his heart was as still as water, his gaze firm, his posture upright, full of youthful vitality.

After the parade, there were also military combat exercises and martial arts demonstrations.

Particularly pleasing to the eye was a formation composed entirely of female students, who performed a sign language exercise. Their movements were neat and graceful, and their singing was inspiring.

Of course, the most dazzling moment was still the final performance.

The Tactical Performance Team, entering the stage!

After half a month of interaction, Zhou Buqi had developed an excellent relationship with the Company Commander and was entrusted with a significant task.

He was the first to appear and perform.

On the rostrum, the leaders showed a hint of anticipation; in the Stadium, the sea of green-clad students could no longer hold back, craning their necks to look into the distance.

After briefly reporting to the Company Commander and receiving permission to perform, Zhou Buqi took a deep breath, clutched his submachine gun, and sprinted out, leaving a trail of dust.

Then, he leaped straight into a foxhole, sinking in up to his waist.

He quickly climbed out again, cleanly dropped into a prone position at a pre-marked spot outlined with white chalk, set up his Type 56 rifle, and pulled the trigger.

“Bang bang bang bang bang!”

Five shots in quick succession!

The moment the gun fired, the entire campus erupted.

In the Stadium, a mix of startled and excited cheers broke out, followed by thunderous applause.

Beneath the applause and cheers, it felt as if the entire Stadium was subtly trembling.

He seemed to have become the hero of the school’s freshmen!

At this moment, he vaguely realized that all his hard work over the past half-month had not been in vain.

Indeed, effort and reward are proportional.

On the rostrum, the leaders were very satisfied, nodding frequently.

They were well-trained, high in spirit, and the training results were excellent!

As for the students who knew Zhou Buqi, each of them couldn’t help but exclaim in their hearts: “Holy cow! He really fired a gun! That’s impressive! Incredibly impressive!”

The students who had originally mocked his seemingly foolish and arduous training were now filled with deep envy.

This was true glory.

This was the peak moment of military training!

This moment belonged to Zhou Buqi.

Next was the low and high crawl. After advancing about twenty-five meters, he began a second round of shooting.

“Bang bang bang bang bang!”

Another five shots in quick succession.

The atmosphere in the Stadium swelled again, like a soaring dragon.

He would sometimes dive sideways, sometimes drop to the ground, sometimes throw grenades, and sometimes advance rapidly in various postures. Accompanied by the dense gunfire, Zhou Buqi pushed this year’s military training performance to its climax.

…

The military training performance was a complete success, and Zhou Buqi was, without a doubt, elected as an Outstanding Military Trainee, receiving a large certificate from a Division Commander.

With policy changes and the prevailing trend of young people becoming increasingly delicate, expecting schools to take responsibility for every minor mishap, it’s likely that such a military training style will be impossible in the future.

Zhou Buqi took a quick shower, declined Wang Dalong’s suggestion for a full dorm outing, called Guo Pengfei, and headed to Beijing Institute of Technology.

Over the past half-month of military training, Zhou Buqi had managed to find time to check on Guo Pengfei’s work.

He had secured a large classroom of over one hundred square meters from the school to serve as the milk tea shop’s location, situated at the entrance on the first floor of an academic building.

Renovations had already begun.

Roughly estimated, the daily foot traffic in this academic building exceeded one thousand people. All students entering this building could see the large sign “Yuanwei Milk Tea” hanging outside the first-floor corridor.

As long as the purchase rate could reach 5%, the milk tea shop would generate excellent profits.

Upon arriving at Beijing Institute of Technology, Liu Wenbo was waiting at the entrance. As soon as they met, he joked with a smile, “Boss Zhou, have you finally emerged from seclusion?”

“Yeah, I went to cultivate my inner strength.”

“How were the results?”

“Not bad, I got an Outstanding Military Trainee award.”

“No wonder, you’re tanned dark.”

“Alright, time is limited, let’s get down to business.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, not wanting to chat further. After inspecting the situation at Beijing Institute of Technology, they still had to go to Beijing Foreign Studies University for an inspection.

The boss is very busy!

Liu Wenbo smiled and led the two towards the Library.

It wasn’t until they reached the Library entrance that Zhou Buqi reacted, looking at him in surprise, “Don’t tell me the business location you found is the Library?”

Liu Wenbo nodded, “That’s right.”

Zhou Buqi gasped.

Good heavens!

This kid is something else!

The Library was a place where every inch of land was precious. Finding an available space there to open a shop, let alone for a student, would be difficult even for a faculty member.

Yet, he, a mere student, had managed it!

“What’s the daily foot traffic in this Library? Have you counted it?” Zhou Buqi asked.

Liu Wenbo replied, “Under normal circumstances, it’s around ten thousand, sometimes over twenty thousand.”

At these words, Guo Pengfei’s face fell, so ashamed he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

It’s over!

The milk tea shop hadn’t even opened yet, and it was already crushed.

They weren’t even on the same level!

Even if the purchase rate was only 5%, that would still be five hundred cups of milk tea a day!

Moreover, this was the Library, different from a classroom. Classrooms were for lessons, and not many students would drink milk tea during class.

The Library was different; students came here to read and study.

It was quieter here, with a better atmosphere!

Paired with a cup of milk tea, it looked comfortable no matter how you viewed it.

Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei didn’t have borrowing cards for Beijing Institute of Technology, but Liu Wenbo’s connections were strong enough. He led them directly inside, and next to the first-floor circulation desk, they saw a vacant room where two workers were busy decorating.

“Is it here?”

“Yes. This was originally a temporary book storage, cleared out and lent to me.”

“How large is the area?”

“Less than twenty square meters.”

Zhou Buqi nodded.

Unlike the large shop of over one hundred square meters that Guo Pengfei was opening at Beijing University of Science and Technology, this was just a small shop.

The large shop could allow students to drink inside, or even study. The small shop, however, was mainly for sales; students would buy milk tea and then go to other parts of the Library to study.

More importantly, the renovation investment for the small shop was very low.

“How much will the renovation cost?” Zhou Buqi asked casually as he walked into the small shop.

Liu Wenbo replied, “The renovation itself won’t cost much, 3,000 yuan is enough. However, I plan to put a row of high stools here, like in Western party venues, against the wall and counter, without tables, which will cost about 2,000 yuan.”

In other words, a total of 5,000 yuan would be sufficient.

In contrast, the large shop at Beijing University of Science and Technology required 12,000 yuan for renovation. If not for the 15,000 yuan entrepreneurship subsidy from the school, Guo Pengfei’s capital chain would have already broken.

“Oh, right, there’s something I need to tell you.” Liu Wenbo remembered something and pulled out a bill from his pocket. “Our school has an entrepreneurship support fund for university students. I applied for it and can get at least 20,000 yuan.”

Guo Pengfei looked up at the ceiling, his heart turning to ashes.

The gap was too wide!

He had thought he was an influential figure at the University of Science and Technology, capable of achieving excellent entrepreneurial conditions. Unexpectedly, Liu Wenbo was even more formidable, receiving greater support.

It seemed Liu Wenbo wasn’t just an influential figure on campus at Beijing Institute of Technology; he also had very strong connections with the school leaders.

After seeing the situation at Beijing Institute of Technology, the three went to Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Beijing Foreign Studies University was right next to Beijing Institute of Technology, so they could just walk there.

On the way, Zhou Buqi asked Liu Wenbo if he knew about Xue Baoshan’s situation.

During military training, Zhou Buqi had called her several times, concerned about her situation.

Little Sister Bao was the youngest, yet had the biggest ambition, determined to build Yuanwei Milk Tea’s flagship store. But was a flagship store that easy to establish?

If the flagship store’s turnover wasn’t the highest, there would be a lot of controversy.

Unexpectedly, Little Sister Bao always sounded full of ambition on the phone: “Student Zhou, just focus on your military training. I can handle the milk tea shop. When your military training is over, just come and inspect it.”

So, when the military training performance ended in the morning, Zhou Buqi came over in the afternoon.

Liu Wenbo’s girlfriend was from Beijing Foreign Studies University, so he was very familiar with it. He even spoke with a hint of reverence: “Baoshan is a girl with great spirit. There’s a saying that describes her well: ‘Women are no less capable than men.’”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi found it somewhat amusing.

Liu Wenbo, however, said seriously, “It’s true. She said she wanted to open a flagship store, and at first, I didn’t believe it. But after seeing it once at Beijing Foreign Studies University, I was completely convinced. She’s really impressive.”

Zhou Buqi joked, “Convinced? What do you mean? Could it be that her shop has even more potential than yours?”

A milk tea shop opened in the Library was like being cast in gold, practically invincible.

It could be said that opening a milk tea shop in the Library was even better than opening one in the cafeteria. The foot traffic might not be as high as the cafeteria, but the purchase rate would definitely be higher.

Unexpectedly, Liu Wenbo nodded in deep agreement, his face solemn: “Definitely.”

Guo Pengfei looked stunned, staring blankly at him.

What does that mean?

The shop hasn’t even opened yet, and you’ve already conceded defeat?

Where’s your backbone?

Zhou Buqi also turned his head in surprise, “What exactly is the situation?”

Liu Wenbo hesitated, then shook his head and said, “You’ll see for yourself in a bit. Since she’s keeping it a secret from you, she must want to give you a surprise. I shouldn’t say too much.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, not pressing for more.

Guo Pengfei was completely convinced by Liu Wenbo because the milk tea shops they were opening had a huge difference in terms of magnitude of foot traffic. The former was in the thousands per day, while the latter was in the tens of thousands per day.

There was simply no comparison, so Guo Pengfei conceded defeat early.

What about Liu Wenbo’s side?

He conceded defeat too?

Could it be that Little Sister Bao’s shop has an even higher magnitude of foot traffic?

A unit higher than ten thousand would be one hundred thousand!

Even the main gate of Beijing Foreign Studies University wouldn’t reach such massive foot traffic every day!

Zhou Buqi took a deep breath, growing even more curious.

Little Sister Bao, what exactly have you done?

Chapter 33: Seizing a Gold Mine

Beijing Foreign Studies University’s campus is very small.

However, it truly was beauties galore!

Looking around, it was a feast for the eyes.

Zhou Buqi turned his head and saw Guo Pengfei sneakily looking at a female student by the roadside, wearing purple shorts and showing off a pair of long, straight legs. He looked quite lecherous.

Universities with a smaller footprint usually have a main thoroughfare that runs through the entire campus.

Beijing Foreign Studies University’s main thoroughfare runs east-west, with important venues like the Stadium, Gymnasium, Library, Run Run Shaw Building, and cafeteria situated along its sides.

Therefore, the most popular commercial street on Beijing Foreign Studies University’s campus was this very road.

Liu Wenbo led them directly here, right opposite the Gymnasium, and diagonally opposite the Library. It backed onto the Electrotechnical Building and Information Building, faced Building No. 2 and the cafeteria, and was only about one hundred meters from the Stadium.

In the process of setting up the milk tea shop, Guo Pengfei had clearly matured significantly. Standing still, he looked around and exclaimed, “This is absolutely the commercial heart of Beijing Foreign Studies University’s East Campus, the place with the most foot traffic. Whether going to the Gymnasium or Stadium to exercise, to the Library to study, to classrooms for lessons, to the cafeteria to eat, or back to the dorms to rest… everyone has to pass through here. What a treasure trove!”

Liu Wenbo’s expression was a bit strange.

“What’s wrong? Did I say something incorrect?” Guo Pengfei was puzzled.

Liu Wenbo shook his head, pointed forward, and said, “Look over there.”

Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei looked simultaneously, their eyes widening involuntarily.

They saw a large banner, red with white characters, hanging between two trees by the roadside ahead.

There were only four characters on the banner—Yuanwei Milk Tea!

“They’ve already started advertising?” Guo Pengfei was surprised by Xue Baoshan’s initiative.

“What’s this?” Liu Wenbo shook his head again. “Let’s go, it’s directly opposite the banner.”

At this moment, Zhou Buqi had already figured something out.

She couldn’t have acquired a commercial storefront, could she?

They hadn’t walked far before they saw the correct answer.

Xue Baoshan wore a sapphire blue chiffon long dress, a sparkling silver hair clip in her hair, and a pair of high-end, elegant crystal sandals on her feet.

She stood quietly in front of a shop that had already removed its signboard, her lips curved in a gentle smile, like a noble peony in full bloom.

She was very beautiful, certainly no less than Wu Yu.

The difference was that she wasn’t as tall as Wu Yu, about 1.67 meters, but her temperament was superior—elegant and poised, with a scholarly air and the grace of a young lady. She was completely unlike Wu Yu’s timid appearance.

“Student Zhou, you’ve gotten tanned.”

As Zhou Buqi approached, Xue Baoshan smiled, teased him lightly, then softly greeted, “Senior Student Liu, Student Pengfei, you’ve arrived too.”

Liu Wenbo greeted them with a smile, while Guo Pengfei’s face flushed red, and he stammered.

Zhou Buqi glared at him before stepping forward and asking in a low voice, “Little Sister Bao, you didn’t actually drop an atomic bomb on me, did you?”

Xue Baoshan’s eyes curved with amusement, and she joked back, “Student Zhou doesn’t like nuclear weapons?”

“Nuclear weapons, if used well, have a great impact. But if you don’t have the capability and there’s a nuclear leak, we’ll be finished ourselves,” Zhou Buqi said with a wry smile.

Xue Baoshan subtly replied, “If one can even make an atomic bomb, how could they not manage nuclear protection well?”

Zhou Buqi said, “The key is that I only gave you twenty thousand yuan. I remember telling you not to use your own money to participate in this milk tea shop project.”

Could twenty thousand yuan really secure this commercial storefront?

Don’t be ridiculous!

A commercial storefront on the main thoroughfare in the core of a campus within the Third Ring Road? It would be impossible to secure it for even two hundred thousand yuan.

Xue Baoshan calmly said, “I didn’t use my own money.”

“Hmm?”

“The transfer fee is two hundred and fifty thousand yuan, payable in installments. For the first three months, we only need to pay ten thousand yuan each month. Furthermore, this year’s rent is included in the two hundred and fifty thousand yuan transfer fee, meaning we won’t need to pay additional rent for the next three months. In other words, our initial expenditure isn’t large.”

“A two hundred and fifty thousand yuan transfer fee…”

Zhou Buqi felt a headache coming on.

This Little Sister Bao, she’s really bold!

Such a huge matter, and she made the decision all by herself? Her resolve is truly firm.

“You don’t approve?”

Xue Baoshan tilted her head slightly, looking at Zhou Buqi.

“I just didn’t expect you to be so capable.”

Zhou Buqi sighed. This matter was truly a huge surprise.

He had originally thought these three university students would simply get a classroom or an empty room in the Gymnasium for free from the school, then renovate it simply to create a milk tea shop.

This was the main approach for university students starting a business.

The biggest reason was to save money, avoiding rent and huge shop transfer fees.

Unexpectedly, surprises kept coming. Xue Baoshan had dealt him another critical hit!

Little Sister Bao had actually acquired a commercial storefront in the school’s prime location!

“Since it’s a flagship store, it naturally needs to have the scale of a flagship store. Otherwise, how can it lead the way? Student Zhou, don’t you agree?” Xue Baoshan smiled, pursing her lips, and blinked.

“Absolutely!”

Zhou Buqi replied without hesitation.

Xue Baoshan, having received his approval, was even happier. She pursed her lips and said, “Senior Student Liu and Student Pengfei have gone into the shop. The renovation style is consistent. Shall I take you around the campus? Let the girls from our school see the handsome guy from Beijing University of Science and Technology?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Sure.”

The two strolled through the campus, indeed attracting many gazes.

“Why are those guys looking at me with such unfriendly eyes?” Zhou Buqi realized, guessing her intention. “Little Sister Bao, you’re not using me as a shield, are you?”

Xue Baoshan’s face flushed slightly. “When an employee has trouble, isn’t it natural for the boss to help solve it?”

Zhou Buqi said, “Of course, no problem!”

“Besides, I saved you a lot of money and helped you rent a commercial storefront, so it’s only right for you to help me with a few things.”

“Saved me money?”

“Yes.”

“A two hundred and fifty thousand yuan transfer fee?” Zhou Buqi said with a half-smile.

“Student Zhou, that’s the best location, the best shop spot in the entire Beijing Foreign Studies University East Campus,” Xue Baoshan said with a hint of playful reproach.

Zhou Buqi looked at her, very curious. “What happened there?”

Xue Baoshan then softly and meticulously explained the twists and turns of the shop acquisition process. It was truly a grand saga.

Commercial storefronts within the campus were all school property, managed uniformly by the General Affairs Office or the Logistics Department.

Therefore, most of the well-located shops were internally divided among the school leaders, with only a portion left for external bidding, to avoid looking too greedy.

Originally, there was a “water bar” there, selling sodas, juices, and mineral water.

It was like guarding a gold mine and selling rocks – utterly foolish.

Upon inquiring, they found out that the original shop owner was the brother-in-law of someone in the Logistics Department.

Relying on the excellent location and very low rent, he could still earn a small profit and live comfortably.

This gave Xue Baoshan room to maneuver.

From one hundred thousand, to one hundred and fifty thousand, then to two hundred thousand, two hundred and fifty thousand…

In the end, the leader’s brother-in-law succumbed to the two hundred and fifty thousand yuan offer.

He only earned one or two thousand yuan a month selling water and drinks. How long would it take to earn two hundred and fifty thousand yuan?

At least ten years!

However, the lease contract he signed with the school was only for five years.

What reason was there not to transfer the lease?

Although Xue Baoshan said she would pay the two hundred and fifty thousand yuan in installments, it was still a very good deal, much more than he earned from running the shop.

With one willing to buy and one willing to sell, the transaction was smoothly concluded.

Coupled with the leader’s brother-in-law’s connections within the school, the sublease contract quickly received school approval.

The shop was successfully acquired.

As for why Xue Baoshan still profited despite paying a two hundred and fifty thousand yuan transfer fee, it had to do with the rent.

For commercial storefronts in such prime locations, other bidding merchants offered prices as high as thirty yuan per square meter per day, far exceeding the average rent of twenty yuan per square meter per day in other areas.

In other words, a twenty-square-meter shop in a prime location would have a monthly rent of up to eighteen thousand yuan!

Even if the school’s rent collection practice differed from outside, only collecting for ten months a year, the total annual rent would still be as high as one hundred and eighty thousand yuan!

However, that person was the leader’s brother-in-law; it was a shop obtained through internal connections, not through public bidding.

Without bidding, naturally, no one would drive up the price.

The lease fee only used the average price for campus shops—eleven point seven yuan per square meter per day.

The monthly rent was seven thousand yuan, and the annual rent was seventy thousand yuan.

Originally, the leader’s brother-in-law signed a five-year contract, and excluding this year, there were still three full years remaining.

In other words, in terms of rent, Yuanwei Milk Tea Shop could save at least three hundred and thirty thousand yuan!

Deducting the two hundred and fifty thousand yuan transfer fee, and adding the remaining three months of this year’s rent, Xue Baoshan had already profited one hundred thousand yuan from this shop transfer deal!

More importantly, the school was not a real estate developer.

The school would not sell shops, nor would it arbitrarily raise rents. The essential purpose of shops within the campus was to provide maximum convenience for students’ lives.

As long as Yuanwei Milk Tea Shop opened and achieved great success, even if the contract expired, the school would have no reason not to renew the lease. On the contrary, to avoid disrupting students’ daily routines, they would actively request the milk tea shop to renew its lease and continue operating.

Only when the milk tea shop was no longer popular with students, and abandoned by them, would the school step in, conduct new market research, re-plan, reclaim the shop, and re-tender.

In other words, as long as the milk tea shop runs smoothly, this prime location shop at Beijing Foreign Studies University will not change hands for a long time to come.

The rent… would, of course, be based on the eleven point seven yuan per square meter per day template.

“Hiss!”

After hearing this story, Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but gasp.

No wonder even Liu Wenbo had conceded defeat early, thoroughly convinced.

Little Sister Bao had used a two hundred and fifty thousand yuan transfer fee to seize a gold mine!

“Amazing!”

Zhou Buqi praised her, thoroughly convinced.

It seemed that this youngest Little Sister Bao understood shop operations better than Liu Wenbo and the others, and could skillfully apply these business tactics from society.

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips and teased, “Not complaining anymore?”

Zhou Buqi cried out in protest, “When did I ever complain about you? When I first agreed to you opening the shop, I already considered that no matter how it turned out, even if we lost hundreds of thousands or millions, I would accept it. I just didn’t expect you to do so outstandingly.”

“Really?”

Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes flickered slightly, and a hint of a smile played on her face.

Zhou Buqi coughed. “Having you as my secretary again would be a bit of a waste of your talent.”

“Then what should I be?” Xue Baoshan was startled.

“An assistant.”

“Huh? Is there a difference?”

“Well… there is a difference, the nature of the work isn’t quite the same,” Zhou Buqi said, his face not flushing and his heart not pounding.

Xue Baoshan quickly glanced at him, then let out a long “Oh,” asking, “Is it a part-time role or a full transfer?”

“Cough, cough, well… it’s probably best to be part-time, part-time is better.”

Zhou Buqi’s tongue actually stumbled a bit.

Xue Baoshan wanted to pretend to be half-understanding, just like before, but she couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, “Student Zhou, you’re absolutely incorrigible!”

Chapter 34: Confidant

The renovation work was in full swing.

At the current pace, the stores at Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing Foreign Studies University would be completed in another week. The Beijing University of Science and Technology store, being much larger, would definitely be finished within ten days.

Therefore, Zhou Buqi contacted General Manager Fang Qiwen, asking him to help quickly order the equipment so as not to delay the opening.

At the same time, it was also time to visit the Food Research Institute.

This was a test.

It was also crucial for Yuanwei Milk Tea to develop its own original flavors and lead the milk tea industry.

However, before going to the institute, Zhou Buqi met with Ji Zian.

For the past half month, he had been the busiest.

Taking advantage of the military training period when freshmen were widely engaged, he had almost become synonymous with Campus Cards across a dozen universities in Haidian District.

He had successfully driven Campus Card sales in a total of sixteen universities: Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beihang University, Renmin University of China, Minzu University of China, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China Agricultural University, China University of Mining and Technology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing Language and Culture University, and Beijing City University.

He helped them earn a large sum of money, raising forty thousand yuan in donations alone!

He had the momentum of rallying a hundred responses and leading all the universities.

When he saw Ji Zian again, he felt that his entire demeanor had changed. He was already a super handsome man, but now he appeared even more distinguished and imposing.

September 16th was a Thursday, the busiest time for weekday classes, and freshman classes had also begun.

Nevertheless, Ji Zian still brought seventeen or eighteen people to Beijing University of Science and Technology.

Guo Pengfei, Liu Wenbo, and Xue Baoshan were also present.

This was a special day.

Boss Zhou had spoken; he was going to establish the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, and today was the beginning!

The meeting place was the Student Activity Center in the living area.

First, the candidates needed to be selected.

One representative from each university.

Three rounds of interviews.

The first round was about attitude.

Zhou Buqi was only a freshman, the only freshman among these people. It was inevitable that some would be unconvinced, even showing disdain or indifference.

These people had to be eliminated.

If they dared to look down on someone even Ji Zian admired, it wasn’t a lack of quality, but rather a lack of intelligence, completely unable to distinguish priorities.

The second round was an exposition of their life ideals.

Ideals could be grand or small; none of that mattered. However, if an ideal was misguided, it was absolutely unacceptable.

For example, a guy from Beijing Normal University named Dong Huan brazenly said he wanted to open a modeling agency. He claimed that beautiful women were an important resource in society, and mastering this resource was like possessing a killer move, allowing one to succeed in all industries.

What he said was perfectly correct, deserving applause.

However, his values were too skewed.

Reasonably utilizing the resource of beautiful women was understandable. But treating this resource as a secret weapon and proudly declaring it was simply too foolish.

As soon as he spoke, the six or seven girls present all looked grim.

Xue Baoshan directly drew a large red cross on his name, exercising her veto power.

The third round of interviews was Zhou Buqi’s sole discretion.

He wanted to examine everyone’s personal information: university, major, appearance, and even family background. He aimed for diverse strengths, avoiding repetition to prevent wasted resources. Family backgrounds could not be too prominent; descendants of high-ranking officials or billionaires were unacceptable, as such individuals were impossible to control.

Currently, Guo Pengfei represented Beijing University of Science and Technology, Liu Wenbo represented Beijing Institute of Technology, Xue Baoshan represented Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Ji Zian represented Renmin University of China. That was already four universities.

Six more people needed to be selected.

After more than an hour of discussion and research, as well as Ji Zian’s feedback on everyone’s performance over the past half month, a final list of eight people was decided upon:

Chen Dong, a sophomore from Peking University’s History Department;

Zhang Yinlei, a junior from Minzu University of China’s Archaeology Department;

Meng Houkun, a junior from China Agricultural University’s Literature Department;

Zhen Yu, a second-year female graduate student from Central University of Finance and Economics’ Finance Department;

Xu Baihui, a sophomore from Beijing Dance Academy’s Art Design program;

Ma Pingshan, a first-year graduate student from Beihang University’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System Engineering program;

Ma Xiaodong, a sophomore from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications’ Information Security program;

Feng Junhai, a junior from Beijing Normal University’s Accounting Department.

Two more people had to be eliminated.

“I don’t think the one from Beijing Dance Academy is necessary, right?” Seeing Zhou Buqi silent, Guo Pengfei tentatively offered his opinion, “She’s an art student…”

“What’s wrong with an art student?” Zhou Buqi glared at him fiercely. “If you can’t speak properly, shut up!”

Guo Pengfei’s face fell. “That’s not what I meant, I mean… I think her style is quite bold.”

Indeed, during their previous interactions, nineteen-year-old Xu Baihui showed no hint of a young girl’s reserve; she was particularly outgoing and sunny.

When she met the legendary entrepreneurial trio, she even took the initiative to shake hands.

This made Guo Pengfei blush deeply.

Liu Wenbo smiled. “Isn’t entrepreneurship about finding bold people? I think she’s capable. I really like her personality; she’s suitable for sales-related work.”

This was a smart person speaking, making his point subtly.

Zhou Buqi nodded. “An art student who is willing to participate in social activities and actively engage in entrepreneurship is enough to show that she is by no means an ordinary art student. It’s decided, she stays!”

Then, he made a decisive stroke, crossing out Ma Xiaodong from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Feng Junhai from Beijing Normal University.

Regarding the former, no one was surprised.

Guo Pengfei and Liu Wenbo were both in computer-related fields, proficient in both hardware and software, so there was no need to find another理工男 (science and engineering male student) from a similar major.

However, Feng Junhai’s elimination still caused considerable controversy.

“He’s from the Accounting Department!”

“That’s right, the tax bureau requires monthly tax declarations. If financial and tax statements aren’t submitted on time, there will be fines.”

“I think we should remove Zhang Yinlei; the Archaeology Department isn’t very useful.”

…

Guo Pengfei, Liu Wenbo, and Ji Zian all simultaneously voiced objections.

Zhou Buqi looked at Xue Baoshan. “What about you?”

Xue Baoshan calmly said, “You’re the Boss, I’ll listen to you.”

As soon as she said this, Liu Wenbo’s expression became a bit strange, and Ji Zian and Guo Pengfei also fell silent.

Zhou Buqi said indifferently, “Can a student from the Accounting Department truly understand financial matters? Accounting is an extremely specialized job. Let alone a junior student, even a graduate student or a Doctor, without actual practical experience, can only complete superficial tasks. The core of accounting is not bookkeeping, but taxation.”

Guo Pengfei gave a light cough and said, “I think Zhang Yinlei is good. How tall is he? Must be over one hundred ninety centimeters, right? And he’s burly. Standing there, he’s like an iron tower, quite intimidating.”

Zhou Buqi smiled with satisfaction. “Hmm, as I said, for entrepreneurs, passing with a score of sixty was enough in university. What major you study isn’t important; what matters is whether the person is suitable for entrepreneurship and has that drive. Zhang Yinlei is from the Archaeology Department, and his career prospects after graduation are very narrow. This, paradoxically, makes him daring and willing to fight, determined to carve out a future with his own hands. This kind of determination is what we need.”

Ji Zian took the cue and said, “So, it’s settled then?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Buqi leaned back slightly in his chair, effectively delivering his verdict.

In a team startup, you absolutely cannot treat each other like brothers. Even if you act like brothers, you must not truly become brothers; you must establish hierarchy and authority internally early on.

The chaos of New Oriental’s Three Musketeers and the unity of Alibaba’s Eighteen Arhats are prime examples.

Ji Zian smiled. “Alright, then I’ll go inform them.”

“I’m going to the restroom.” Liu Wenbo said with a placid expression, stood up, and left.

Zhou Buqi frowned, exchanged a glance with Guo Pengfei, who immediately understood and said loudly, “Perfect, I’ll go too.”

In the small room, only Zhou Buqi and Xue Baoshan remained.

Xue Baoshan walked over and sat beside him, lowering her voice. “Your performance just now was excellent. I’d give you full marks.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, looking at her. “Are you positioning yourself as a confidant now?”

“Aren’t I?”

Xue Baoshan sat up straight, a smile playing on her lips, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Zhou Buqi’s gaze drifted from her delicate and exquisite face downwards, landing on her fair, smooth neck, and then continued further down…

Xue Baoshan made no move to cover herself, her tone turning cool, her expression serene. “If you’re going to be like that, I’ll quit. It’s pointless.”

“Don’t! I’m just joking with you.” Zhou Buqi quickly reined himself in and adopted a proper attitude.

Xue Baoshan looked at him. “Let me ask you a question.”

“Go ahead!”

“Is there a difference between a secretary and a mistress?”

“Huh?” Zhou Buqi was stunned for a moment, glanced at her guiltily, gave a few fake coughs, and said earnestly, “Of course there’s a difference, a fundamental difference. A secretary is a secretary, and a mistress is a mistress. They absolutely cannot be confused.”

Xue Baoshan’s face began to flush, her delicate lips habitually pursed, with two shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth. “I thought you wouldn’t know.”

“How could I not?” Zhou Buqi declared righteously, then waved his hand. “Don’t worry, I know what you mean. A good horse doesn’t eat the grass by its own stable. I’m a man of principles.”

Xue Baoshan lowered her gaze, then whispered, “Senior Student Liu seems a bit unhappy. You were a bit too dictatorial.”

Zhou Buqi said, “A team can only have one decision-making voice for maximum efficiency.”

“I’m just worried he might have other ideas.”

“Don’t worry, Guo Pengfei is keeping an eye on him.”

Xue Baoshan let out an “Oh?” “Is he your confidant?”

“What do you think?”

Zhou Buqi glanced at her and snorted.

He and Guo Pengfei were schoolmates, the closest partners who became acquainted through conflict.

Xue Baoshan seemed to understand something and whispered, “So Guo Pengfei looks silly, always says the wrong thing, and blushes when he sees girls, it’s all fake? He’s lowering Senior Student Liu’s guard? Did you arrange this?”

Zhou Buqi twitched his lips. “Him blushing when he sees girls is definitely real. That kid is an unromantic, iron-willed straight man; he hasn’t even held a girl’s hand.”

“Have you?”

“Isn’t that obvious? A few days ago, I took our campus belle out to a hotel.”

“Really?”

Xue Baoshan blinked, half-believing, half-doubting.

Zhou Buqi showed off, “If you don’t believe me, ask Guo Pengfei; he knows. From meeting her to getting a room, it only took six or seven hours in total. It was easy.”

“Right.”

Xue Baoshan remembered, her expression strange. “General Manager Fang said you’re a love expert, full of tricks. He even has to consult you.”

Chapter 35: If I Fail, I Can Only Go Home and Inherit Billions of Assets

Not long after, Ji Zian brought the people in.

This was the room students usually used for playing “Werewolf,” not large, but it had a long table and enough chairs to comfortably seat everyone.

Zhou Buqi was internally excited, filled with a strong sense of accomplishment.

Besides him, the ten people present were from ten different universities, all influential figures of the moment.

Now, they were all gathered together for a grand occasion.

This was the prototype of a team!

When Alibaba started, they had the “Eighteen Arhats.” Brother doesn’t need that many people; gathering “Ten Great Guardians” will be enough.

Arranged by age from oldest to youngest, they were Ma Pingshan from Beihang University, Zhen Yu from Central University of Finance and Economics, Liu Wenbo from Beijing Institute of Technology, Meng Houkun from China Agricultural University, Ji Zian from Renmin University of China, Zhang Yinlei from Minzu University of China, Xu Baihui from Beijing Dance Academy, Chen Dong from Peking University, Guo Pengfei from Beijing University of Science and Technology, and Xue Baoshan from Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Guo Pengfei and Xue Baoshan were actually the youngest.

It’s worth noting that Ma Pingshan, a first-year graduate student, was one year older than Zhen Yu, a second-year graduate student, and Meng Houkun, a third-year undergraduate, was two months older than Ji Zian, a fourth-year undergraduate.

“Let me say a few words.”

Everyone had gathered with the same purpose, so Zhou Buqi didn’t stand on ceremony. He tapped the table with his finger and scanned everyone with his eyes.

Everyone quieted down.

Zhou Buqi said softly, “First, a simple self-introduction. My name is Zhou Buqi, a freshman in the Department of Business Administration at Beijing University of Science and Technology. The Campus Card sales model you all used was my original idea.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the robust and burly Zhang Yinlei clapped vigorously, tears welling up in his eyes.

This scene left others who were about to applaud somewhat bewildered, resulting in sparse applause.

He cried?

Even if he was showing loyalty, there was no need to be so exaggerated, right?

He was moved to tears after just one sentence?

Quite the dramatic flair!

Seemingly aware of everyone’s attention, Zhang Yinlei lowered his head, wiped away a tear, and said, quite ashamed, “I’m very sorry for making a spectacle of myself. Boss Zhou, please continue.”

Zhou Buqi had read his profile and knew his family was in dire straits. He said with concern, “It’s alright, you go first. What happened? Now that we’re all on the same boat, to work together, we must first understand each other.”

Zhang Yinlei hesitated a little.

Ji Zian said, “How about I tell them for him…”

“No need!”

Zhang Yinlei blurted out, then took a deep breath. “I’ll say it myself. During the Campus Card sales process, we all received a photo. A dilapidated, leaky school, a group of raggedly dressed students… I’m from the west, and I grew up in that kind of environment.”

Then, he stood up, first bowed to Zhou Buqi, then bowed to everyone in all directions, and sincerely said, “Thank you all for your donations to education in the west, especially thank you, Boss Zhou. Through your Campus Card sales model, you’ve greatly helped me with my living difficulties. I even sent three thousand yuan back home. Truly, thank you! And Brother Zian, I thank you too, and everyone else present.”

Everyone fell silent.

Zhou Buqi was no exception.

He had originally downloaded a photo of children studying in the west from the internet without much thought, mainly to find a selling point for the Campus Card sales and boost sales.

He hadn’t expected to actually find a student who grew up in that environment—Zhang Yinlei from the Department of Archaeology at Minzu University of China.

Perhaps this was the best way to cultivate loyalty among subordinates?

The atmosphere became heavy. Zhou Buqi sighed, lightly tapped the table twice with his finger, and said, “Charity is a social responsibility that every enterprise should fulfill, and it’s a mission we cannot shirk. Of course, we are still small in scale and weak in strength now, so we can’t do too much. But we can in the future. Everyone here must set ambitious goals!”

“Some might ask, how ambitious? I think you’ll know once you hear my self-introduction. My name is Zhou Buqi, and I’m from Spring City. Zhou Guangshan, the chairman of Wanchao Group in Spring City, is my grandfather; Zhou Jianguo, the general manager, is my eldest uncle; Zhou Jianjun, the vice president, is my father; and Zhou Bubi, the purchasing manager, is my brother. I’m not sure how much money the Zhou family has, but two or three hundred million yuan should be no problem.”

This self-introduction had an even greater impact than Zhang Yinlei’s words just now, a veritable critical hit.

What was going on?

Boss Zhou was a Rich second-generation?

The Zhou family of Spring City?

Assets worth hundreds of millions?

Among those present, some also came from very good family backgrounds, like Xue Baoshan and Xu Baihui, whose families each had at least several million yuan.

But compared to Zhou Buqi, their wealth was completely negligible.

Xu Baihui tilted her head and said with a smile, “Boss, so that watch on your wrist is real, then?”

As expected of an art student, she had good taste!

“Of course.”

Zhou Buqi smiled at her.

Xu Baihui’s eyes sparkled. “I was thinking, since you’re the Boss, you couldn’t possibly have such bad taste as to wear a fake watch, right? I never imagined your family was so rich. Is that a Chopard watch? It must be over three hundred thousand yuan, right?”

Everyone was stunned.

Over three hundred thousand yuan for a single watch?

The world of the wealthy was truly unimaginable.

“I actually don’t know, and I don’t care,” Zhou Buqi said, spreading his hands, looking indifferent. “My grandfather gave me this watch before I came to Beijing for university. Otherwise, I would have sold it long ago to save up some startup capital.”

“Ah?”

Everyone was puzzled, completely bewildered.

Your family is so rich, and you still want to sell a watch to start a business? What kind of logic is that?

Zhou Buqi then explained to them that he didn’t want to be a family parasite and wanted to strike out on his own, not relying on his family’s power. To prove his determination, he even cut off all financial support from his family.

The power of money was indeed as heavy as Mount Tai.

Everyone immediately felt profound respect, understanding Zhou Buqi’s firm resolve and grand aspirations.

He truly possessed a spirit of being unswayed by wealth and honor!

Zhou Buqi then smiled and said, “So, this time, as we embark on this entrepreneurial journey together, we must succeed, and failure is not an option! If we fail, I’ll just have to go home and inherit my family’s billions of assets.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

The laughter was real.

The bitterness in their hearts was also real.

If he failed in his venture, he could go home and inherit billions of assets, living the life of a superior person.

What about them?

They had nothing!

These words were like an inkstone, pressing down on the restlessness in everyone’s hearts.

To start a business, they had to succeed!

As for the standard of success, it would definitely have to exceed the billion-yuan level. If it were less than that expectation, why would Zhou Buqi bother working so hard to start a business? Wouldn’t it be better to just go back and inherit the family fortune?

…

Approaching noon.

The Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance was officially established.

Zhou Buqi, without hesitation, took on the role of Alliance Leader. At the same time, he issued two tasks.

“First, we are embarking on a grand venture, and milk tea is just the first step, a test run. After you return to your respective universities, you must immediately apply to your school’s Youth League Committee to establish an entrepreneurial club and assemble a team. I hope to see your results before National Day. Additionally, during this period, you can visit Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Beijing University of Science and Technology to observe their milk tea shops. Within this year, all ten of our universities must open a Yuanwei milk tea shop, so please prepare in advance when you go back. Second, when you return, each of you must send a female classmate over to me…”

Before he could finish, Xu Baihui interjected, “Boss, I’m a girl, can I send myself?”

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, “Yes, if Senior Sister Zhen and Baoshan want to come, you don’t need to call anyone else either. In short, at one o’clock this afternoon, I want to see female classmates from all ten universities at the West Gate of Beijing University of Science and Technology, and make sure they bring their student ID cards.”

Chapter 36: Food Research Institute

Beihang University and China Agricultural University are right next to Beijing University of Science and Technology, so Ma Pingshan and Meng Houkun weren’t in a hurry to return to their schools. Instead, they stood at the intersection and chatted for a while longer.

“Brother Ma, what do you think of Boss Zhou?”

Ma Pingshan was born in 1980. After graduating from his fourth year of undergraduate studies, he worked for a state-owned enterprise for a year before re-enrolling at Beihang University for graduate school. He was already twenty-four years old, and Meng Houkun humbly sought his advice.

“It’s hard to say about his abilities,” Ma Pingshan frowned, also unsure. “However, his determination is very strong, and his fighting spirit is high. He genuinely wants to achieve something great.”

Meng Houkun nodded, “Yes, I think he’s quite genuine too. Giving up a fortune of hundreds of millions to start a business, that’s really not something an ordinary person can do.”

Ma Pingshan chuckled, “Indeed, it sounds like a story.”

Meng Houkun whispered, “Brother Ma, do you think that milk tea chain store can really be set up? And open in all ten universities?”

“Setting it up isn’t hard; whether it can make money is the key. The catering industry follows trends. If it becomes popular, the entire school will only have one milk tea shop left. If it doesn’t, then just wait to lose money.” Ma Pingshan shook his head, “I wasn’t attracted by the milk tea shop.”

“Then what was it?”

“Wedding planning.”

Meng Houkun chuckled.

Ma Pingshan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “What are you thinking? I’m already engaged and will get married after graduation. What interests me is how he plans to establish that matchmaking platform. Milk tea shops are everywhere, nothing special. But a matchmaking platform connecting universities, that’s the first I’ve heard of.”

Meng Houkun thought for a moment and said, “Yuanwei milk tea shop. I think that’s the answer, the common ground between milk tea and matchmaking.”

“That makes sense.” Ma Pingshan’s eyes lit up. After pondering for a while, he felt it was even more reliable and exclaimed in surprise, “No wonder he was in such a hurry to open three milk tea shops simultaneously and quickly expand to other schools. The milk tea shop is the recommendation letter for the matchmaking platform!”

“This is cross-industry cooperation…”

Meng Houkun’s eyes narrowed slightly, filled with emotion.

Ma Pingshan glanced at him, patted his shoulder, and smiled, “Alright, let’s go back to school and finish our tasks. Since we’ve decided to go for it, we can’t be lazy. I think this Boss Zhou is capable.”

…

At one o’clock in the afternoon, at the west gate of Xueyuan Road.

Everyone had arrived.

Ten girls, from ten different universities.

Zhou Buqi only knew two of them, Xue Baoshan and Xu Baihui. Even Senior Sister Zhen Yu didn’t come. She was a second-year graduate student at Central University of Finance and Economics, graduating next summer, and it seemed her studies were very demanding.

After a brief explanation, Zhou Buqi led everyone to the Food Research Institute.

“Is this the method you came up with?” Sitting on the subway seat, Xue Baoshan quietly asked Zhou Buqi.

“How is it?” Zhou Buqi smiled at her.

“Is it a honey trap?”

“Mainly, girls are more likely to gain goodwill and sympathy.”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips and said nothing, turning to look at him, blinking her eyes.

Zhou Buqi was speechless and had to whisper, “Didn’t Brother Fang introduce him? He has a classmate who works in the logistics department of the institute. I’ve already asked around. Director Zheng, who is in charge of beverage ingredient research and development, is an old man in his fifties. This kind of old man is best at bureaucratic talk and beating around the bush. Unless we pave the way with huge sums of money, it will be difficult to open up the situation.”

“Then we’ll see your performance later.” Xue Baoshan smiled sweetly, then sighed softly, “I want to tell you about something else. There’s a milk tea shop next to our school’s supermarket. It seems to be run by people from outside, and they have quite a temper. Last night, seven or eight men came and said some unpleasant things.”

“Hmph!”

Zhou Buqi sneered, “They’re afraid we’ll steal their business.”

Xue Baoshan calmly said, “This afternoon, the renovation师傅 told me that two young men with tattoos had been loitering outside the shop all morning, and they even took down the banner I had hung up.”

“It’s a small matter, don’t worry.”

Zhou Buqi reassured her. In fact, he didn’t even need to, as she was in excellent spirits and showed no signs of panic. Then, he took out his phone, called Liu Wenbo, and told him about the incident.

“What a world, full of all sorts of people,” Liu Wenbo cursed after hearing it.

Zhou Buqi asked, “Do you know how to handle it?”

Liu Wenbo said indifferently, “Simple, just stir up the students’ emotions. The biggest advantage of college students starting a business is their identity as college students. Let alone on campus, even outside of campus, society respects and supports college students. If it blows up, not to mention a few hoodlums, even the principal and district chief would have to step down.”

Zhou Buqi’s forehead was covered in black lines. This Liu Wenbo, why was he a bit obsessed?

It’s such a small matter, what do you want to do?

Start a rebellion?

It seems that spending more than a year in prison wasn’t enough for his ideological reform.

Liu Wenbo continued, “Three years ago, I made a mistake, but my card really solved problems for many students. Back then, internet fees were terribly expensive; children from ordinary families couldn’t afford the internet at all, and long-distance calls were even worse, over one yuan a minute, who could afford that? Later, the police came to arrest me. It caused quite a stir at the time; even the school leaders were present and were scared stiff.”

Zhou Buqi’s eyeballs almost fell to the ground on his end of the phone.

Oh My Goodness!

That was too sensational!

This Liu Wenbo was truly an impressive person.

No wonder he was able to re-enroll at Beijing Institute of Technology and even get a warehouse in the Library converted into a milk tea shop.

He had solved a big problem for the school leaders, making them owe him a huge favor.

“No, absolutely not!”

Zhou Buqi dared not let him mess around; this guy was a bit too crazy. Although his method would create a greater stir, and even sending a few people to jail would be nothing, this was not the rule of the commercial game.

Hearing these two firm rejections, Liu Wenbo laughed, “I’m just kidding with you. Could I make the same mistake twice? But I really don’t have a clue how to solve this matter.”

“I’ll teach you.”

“Alright.”

“Use your computer to write down the whole story, then print it out. Attach the list of the ten members of our Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, list their Student Union positions in their respective schools, and the various certificates they’ve obtained. Also, attach a copy of their student ID cards. State that this is a project collectively set up by our ten-university alliance and cannot be harmed by societal scum. Once you’ve prepared the materials, submit them to the General Affairs Office of Beijing Foreign Studies University.”

“Hiss…”

On the other end of the phone, Liu Wenbo gasped.

At this moment, he finally understood Zhou Buqi’s purpose in creating a Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance.

This was about using social and political influence to strengthen their own voice!

The same materials, if attached to ten students from Beijing Foreign Studies University, the school might ignore them and downplay the matter.

However, if it involved other schools, especially ten of the nation’s top universities, the nature of the situation would change.

If they dared not handle it, the General Affairs Office wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.

Indeed, at such times, the role of a student identity far outweighed a social identity.

Xue Baoshan, on her end of the phone, also seemed to realize something. Looking at the female students from the ten universities beside her and across from her, she suddenly felt that this trip to the Food Research Institute might not cost much money after all.

The institute was an old public institution, located right next to Chang’an Avenue.

However, many of its members were merely occupying positions without contributing, holding the greatest prestige and best location, and possessing regulatory privileges granted by the state, as well as several academician consultants. Yet, its operations were still a mess.

When a merchant came seeking a formula, how could they distribute their usual benefits without taking a hefty cut?

Zhou Buqi had no intention of spending a fortune to buy a milk tea formula.

He was still a student.

Students should act like students.

Be diligent and hardworking.

With the introduction of Qin Gang, Brother Fang’s classmate, Zhou Buqi led the girls and successfully met Director Zheng, who was in charge of beverage formula research and development.

Perhaps due to his usual hard work and excessive consumption of sugary drinks, he was severely overweight.

However, his official demeanor was quite imposing.

He grunted and hummed at his colleague Qin Gang, looking very distinguished, sitting behind a solid wood desk, leaning back in a leather chair, resembling a Maitreya Buddha.

“Hello, Director Zheng. We are university students and want to open a milk tea shop. We’d like to ask for your help with the formula. These are our materials; please take a look.” Zhou Buqi smiled, respectfully handing the documents to his desk.

Director Zheng’s eyes lingered on the female university students for a few moments, then he looked at Zhou Buqi, “You are all university students?”

“Yes.”

“You want to open a milk tea shop?”

“Yes.”

“What formula do you need for milk tea? Go figure it out yourselves.”

“Director, you’ve misunderstood. We’re not opening an ordinary milk tea shop; we want to create a chain brand of milk tea shops, so we’ll be more particular about the taste.”

Zhou Buqi said with a smile.

Director Zheng was a bit surprised, “A chain milk tea shop?”

There was nothing they could do; the business registration process hadn’t even started yet, and the company wasn’t registered. Otherwise, they could have just presented the relevant documents.

Zhou Buqi had no choice but to turn around and say, “Everyone, please show your student ID cards to the director.” Then he said to Director Zheng, “Director, it’s a chain store. Currently, three stores are already undergoing renovation, and within this year, we will expand into ten universities.”

At this moment, Xu Baihui led the girls over gracefully, and a waft of fragrance filled the air, causing Director Zheng’s ears to redden and his neck to thicken.

“Director, this is my student ID. Would you like to take a look?” Xu Baihui, being an art student, was very quick-witted and sweetly handed over her student ID.

Director Zheng coughed lightly, took the student ID, and nodded, “Hmm, Beijing Dance Academy, very good, a good school.”

This was initially a perfunctory compliment, but what followed was genuine.

“You’re from Renmin University of China?”

“You’re from Beihang University?”

“You’re from Beijing Foreign Studies University?”

“Oh! Peking University! A top student!”

Director Zheng took one student ID after another, his expression growing more and more surprised.

It seemed they really were going to set up a chain store!

Chapter 37: Xu Baihui Takes Action

Zhou Buqi saw that the time was right and softly said, “This formula still needs to be developed by a professional research institute like yours. Leaving aside everything else, just take tea, for example: how exactly should it be brewed? What water temperature should be used? How long should it be steeped? And how should it be stored after brewing? These are all specialized knowledge that we students don’t understand.”

In 2004, milk tea was still relatively low-end. There were basically no fresh fruits, and certainly no milk.

The most common type was made from saccharin, creamer, tea, and tapioca pearls, grandly named “pearl milk tea.”

The cost was extremely low, the taste was mediocre, and the gross profit was extremely high.

To stand out, the flavor had to have a breakthrough.

Director Zheng inspected the student ID cards of the girls one by one, then nodded and said, “It seems you want to make this big. The research institute will naturally support you. However, developing this formula is not simple, nor is it a one or two-day affair. The cost won’t be low.”

Xu Baihui said pitifully, “Director Zheng, we are still students. We don’t have that much money.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “It’s not like we have nothing; we can still afford a few hundred yuan.”

Director Zheng glared, annoyed.

Is this kid here to cause trouble?

He said coldly, “The institute is now a corporate system, different from before. Everything is about balancing income and expenditure. Even if you are university students, if you don’t have enough funds, we can’t work.”

Zhou Buqi could tell that this Director Zheng was not a good person; his eyes were very improper. He wanted the formula, true, but he also didn’t want this fat pig’s claws to reach these female students.

“Director, we are university students, we really don’t have that much money. The money for opening the shop was saved little by little from our living expenses. Could you please be more accommodating?” Without waiting for the other party to speak, Zhou Buqi waved his hand and said to the ten girls, “Everyone, please work hard and help clean the director’s office.”

“Alright!”

The girls responded in unison.

This had all been pre-arranged, so they moved very quickly. Before Director Zheng could react, they were already busy. Some swept the floor, some fetched water, some picked up mops, while others found rags and tissues to wipe the desks, chairs, and bookshelves in the office.

Their chattering voices were quite loud and immediately spread throughout the quiet corridor.

At this, Director Zheng became a little flustered and quickly said, “Stop! Everyone stop! Who told you to mess around?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “They’re doing this voluntarily, Director. Please just give them a chance.”

Director Zheng said angrily, “I said, the company has its regulations. Even if you work here, you can’t break the rules!”

Zhou Buqi said clearly, “Of course, one thing is one thing; we understand that much. Director, don’t get agitated. We’re just showing the vitality of the new generation of university students. We are absolutely determined to open this milk tea shop.”

Director Zheng was getting a bit overwhelmed.

Having a group of university students clean his office—if this got out, his reputation would be ruined. He was somewhat annoyed and said, “There are milk tea shops all over the streets, and I’ve never heard of anyone coming to a research institute specifically for a developed formula. What? You just have to have an exclusive secret recipe?”

Director Zheng couldn’t help but be stunned.

The research institute had its levels, and Director Zheng was merely a section-level cadre.

Zhou Buqi continued, “Director, why can’t we develop our own formula?”

“What you said makes some sense.”

Director Zheng’s emotions calmed down, and he ignored the female university students cleaning. He slowly began to ponder.

He had been in this position for nearly twenty years and had never been promoted, largely because he hadn’t achieved any significant merits. The angle proposed by this university student had great political significance. If handled well, he might even be able to advance further.

Just then, Xu Baihui, who had been wiping the door outside with a rag, rushed in. She gave Zhou Buqi a glance, subtly excited, and said somewhat anxiously, “Director, I’m from the Beijing Dance Academy. I’ll dance for you, a solo tango.”

“Ah? What?”

Director Zheng was still deep in thought and hadn’t heard clearly.

On the other side, Xu Baihui was already twisting with agile and bold movements. It was a Latin tango: cross steps, kicks, spins, passionate and graceful.

Director Zheng swallowed hard, wondering how to get this female university student’s phone number.

Art students, they’re easy.

Unexpectedly, a stern voice suddenly came from the doorway: “Old Zheng! What are you doing?!”

Director Zheng quickly stood up, his plump face instantly turning pale. “Old Liu, Manager, this…”

Zhou Buqi inwardly chuckled. This Xu Baihui was truly clever. He gave her a look, telling her to quickly leave, then stood up and said with a smile, “Are you Manager Liu? We are university students, and we want to open a milk tea shop, so we came to Director Zheng for help.”

Director Zheng seemed to grasp a lifeline and quickly said, “Yes, Old Liu, that’s right. They want to create a local milk tea chain store. I think this idea is excellent and very politically significant.”

He was also feeling guilty and very scared.

Having a group of female university students clean his office, and one even dancing, was an even more unforgivable offense.

The impact was too negative.

Manager Liu’s face was ashen. He glared fiercely at Director Zheng, snorted, then a smile appeared on his face. He proactively stepped forward to shake Zhou Buqi’s hand. “You are all university students? You want to open a milk tea shop? That’s a very good idea.”

Zhou Buqi humbly said, “Yes, my name is Zhou Buqi. I’m from Beijing University of Science and Technology. She’s from Peking University, she’s from Renmin University of China, she’s from Beijing Foreign Studies University…”

After the introductions, Manager Liu became even more aware that this group of university students was not simple.

This involved ten top universities!

Regardless of whether the milk tea shop could succeed, the influence alone was enough. Especially with such a grand cause, how could the research institute push them away? And let them clean and dance for entertainment?

This Old Zheng, he’s truly more trouble than he’s worth!

Manager Liu glared at Director Zheng again, full of resentment, then said apologetically, “Student Zhou, right? Our previous neglect was a lapse in our work. How about this, you all come to my office, and we can discuss this in detail.”

“No problem.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, satisfied.

This matter was settled!

Director Zheng’s face was pale, as if he were exhausted, his forehead covered in sweat. He slumped into his seat, looking lost for a long time.

Suddenly, he slammed his hand heavily on the desk.

Extremely furious, he gritted his teeth.

“Liu Weiguo, you bastard! That was my credit! Mine!!!”

…

Doing business is like this.

If it’s just one-sided taking, no matter how low you humble yourself or how many nice words you say, it’s incredibly difficult to succeed. If you change your approach, identify the other party’s needs, and offer help as an entry point, then the roles of host and guest in the negotiation can be reversed.

It’s no longer you asking others, but others asking you.

Currently, there are many milk tea shops in the country, and even the brands are imported. A small number of individual “homemade recipes” are not presentable and cannot form a brand.

With China’s entry into the WTO, countless national brands collapsed. The country also recognized this and was sparing no effort to support the revival and rise of national brands.

This was an opportunity.

Although the research institute had undergone reforms, it was still a state-owned enterprise and had official ranks.

Manager Liu was a department-level cadre. To advance further and become a vice president, he needed tangible achievements.

The university students’ local milk tea shop presented him with an opportunity.

Moreover, this was a milk tea chain store located in The Capital, making it even more “local of the local,” so it couldn’t be missed.

Zhou Buqi talked with him for over an hour, explaining all their needs and proposing a total of twenty-seven different milk tea formula requirements.

Manager Liu accepted all of them without a second thought.

He didn’t even mention money.

Since the other party didn’t bring it up, Zhou Buqi was happy to keep quiet.

During the startup phase, every cent saved was a cent earned.

Around a little past three in the afternoon, Zhou Buqi left the institute with the girls.

Xu Baihui’s face was flushed, very excited. She grabbed Zhou Buqi’s arm. “Boss, it’s done just like that? So smoothly?”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Isn’t it thanks to you?”

“What about me?”

Xu Baihui giggled, proudly lifting her chin.

Zhou Buqi said, “If you hadn’t ‘harmed’ Director Zheng, we wouldn’t have had the chance to communicate directly with Manager Liu. When you meet a higher-ranking leader, things naturally become simpler to handle.”

Xu Baihui snorted, a look of disdain on her face, and said coldly, “That fat pig, his eyes were leering. You could tell he wasn’t a proper person! This is letting him off easy!”

Zhou Buqi agreed deeply, nodding, “Exactly. So, your contribution accounts for half of our success this time! If Manager Liu hadn’t taken over, Director Zheng would have been really difficult to deal with. Over time, who knows what excessive demands he might have made.”

Xu Baihui smiled brightly, “So, I’ve made a merit?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a reward?”

“What do you want?”

“I request the organization to assign me a boyfriend, just like you, Boss Zhou.”

“Don’t joke around.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression turned serious, and he quickly refused.

In this life, he was still remaining chaste, but in his previous life, he was experienced in many relationships. He could tell at a glance that this sweet girl from the Beijing Dance Academy was not someone to be trifled with.

Xu Baihui pouted, “What are you afraid of?”

Zhou Buqi lightly coughed, “It’s not fear; it’s a rule.”

Xue Baoshan then approached with a smile, softly saying, “I think it’s best for a startup team not to have romantic relationships. If love affects the startup, it’s not worth the loss.”

Zhou Buqi strongly agreed, “Yes, that makes sense.”

Xu Baihui stared at their faces for a moment, then curled her lips in disdain.

You two?

Go fool someone else!

Chapter 38: Striving to Fail on Purpose

Zhou Buqi was preparing to treat everyone to dinner as a thank you.

However, he unexpectedly received a call.

His roommate, Wang Dalong, told him in an incredibly serious voice, “The teacher is furious! Get to class immediately! Right now! At once!”

After hanging up, Zhou Buqi felt quite ashamed.

It had been two days since school started, and he hadn’t attended a single class yet.

Alright!

Time to head back to school!

……

In the lecture hall, Wang Dalong wore a distressed expression.

As the dorm leader, he was obligated to answer “present” for his roommates during roll call.

But the Basic Accounting teacher, for some unknown reason, was incredibly alert and caught him, embarrassing him in front of the entire class. The teacher even declared that if the problem wasn’t resolved, they could forget about passing the course!

Wang Dalong was truly helpless and could only call Zhou Buqi for help.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi gave his dorm leader face and agreed to return.

“Teacher Wen, he said he’ll be back right away.”

“Alright, sit down!”

“Oh, okay.”

“If I don’t see him before class ends, both of you will fail!”

This was a large lecture class attended by four sections, and under everyone’s gaze, Wang Dalong’s face burned with pain.

Time ticked by, minute by minute, and Wang Dalong grew increasingly anxious.

Just as it approached four o’clock, his phone rang. It was Zhou Buqi.

Wang Dalong hunched over, answered the call, his voice almost tearful, “Zhou Buqi, you’re still not back?”

Zhou Buqi calmly replied, “I’m here. Where are you?”

Wang Dalong was overjoyed, “In Yifu Building Classroom B02.”

“Where’s that?”

“Yifu Building…”

“I mean, where is Yifu Building?!”

“Huh?”

Wang Dalong’s head spun.

He doesn’t even know where Yifu Building is? Is he even a student of Beijing University of Science and Technology? Does he really treat the school like a hotel? Teacher Wen was right, he doesn’t look like a student at all!

“You come pick me up. I’m at the Stadium.”

“Ah… this… fine, wait for me.”

Hanging up the phone, Wang Dalong hunched his back, trying to sneak out.

Unexpectedly, Teacher Wen, young and sharp-eyed, questioned him through the microphone, “Where are you going? Class isn’t over yet! Do you want to fail early?”

The students who were diligently listening had their thoughts disrupted. They turned their heads, instantly annoyed. It was Wang Dalong again!

Is this student’s conduct really that poor?

Why is it always him?

Is he trying to show off?

Wang Dalong broke out in a cold sweat, his face looking worse than if he were crying. “Teacher Wen, I… I…”

“Wang Dalong, you are a university student now. Don’t move around during class, so as not to disturb other students. What? Don’t you even understand this basic principle?”

“No, it’s not…”

“Still arguing?”

“Teacher Wen, Zhou Buqi is back.”

“Then tell him to come over!”

“He doesn’t know the way and can’t find Yifu Building.”

As soon as he said this, the lecture hall erupted in laughter.

This Wang Dalong, is his brain full of water? He can’t even lie properly? Could such a ridiculous lie fool a kindergarten child?

Wang Dalong’s eyes welled up with tears of grievance.

Teacher Wen looked disappointed, as if she had completely given up on such a poor student. She shook her head and softly said, “Never mind, let’s ignore him and continue with the class…”

Wang Dalong stood frozen for a moment, then gritted his teeth, abruptly turned, and walked out of the classroom.

Now, only Zhou Buqi could clear his name.

He exited Yifu Building and ran wildly towards the Stadium, but he couldn’t find any trace of Zhou Buqi.

He quickly called, his voice urgent, “Zhou Buqi, where are you? I’m at the Stadium.”

“Oh, I went back to the dorm to change clothes.”

Zhou Buqi was wearing formal trousers and a shirt. Going to class dressed like that wouldn’t make him look like a student attending a lecture, but rather someone there to inspect, which would leave an even worse impression on the teacher.

Wang Dalong nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood upon hearing this, but he swallowed it back down and said, steeling himself, “Fine, you wait there. I’ll come find you in the dorm!”

He rushed back to the dorm, only to see Zhou Buqi sitting at his desk. A laptop had appeared on the desk at some point.

“Is this your computer?”

Wang Dalong was stunned. He hadn’t expected there to be a second computer in their dorm besides Yan Xinlei, the internet addict. And it was a Sony laptop, which must have cost twenty to thirty thousand!

Zhou Buqi didn’t turn his head. “Yeah, just organizing some files.”

“You should have taken it out earlier! I would’ve played Warcraft with Yan Xinlei! My skills are much better than his!” Wang Dalong looked excited. He leaned in for a closer look and felt that it was truly exquisite and impressive. Sony’s reputation was well-deserved.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Alright, I’ll lend it to you later.”

Wang Dalong was extremely happy, feeling that Zhou Buqi was indeed loyal!

Suddenly, he shivered as if struck by electricity. “Quick, quick, quick! Come with me to Yifu Building! Class isn’t over yet! Teacher Wen is still waiting! If we don’t show up before class ends, both of us will fail!”

“Teacher Wen?”

Zhou Buqi’s heart skipped a beat. He turned to look at Wang Dalong, a little surprised. “Which Teacher Wen?”

Wang Dalong was so anxious he was practically jumping. “Which else could it be? The Teacher Wen who teaches Basic Accounting!”

“Is she pretty?”

“Not only pretty, but young! Not only young, but also ruthless! If we don’t go, both of us are done for!”

Zhou Buqi was now certain.

So, it was Wen Zhixia!

What a coincidence.

However, he had already offended her twice by seemingly flirting with her.

If he went back to class now, he would give her an excuse to criticize him in front of all the students in their year.

No, absolutely not!

Skipping class is skipping class.

Brother is starting a business; even skipping class is in line with school regulations.

“Ahem, dorm leader, what are you so anxious about?” Zhou Buqi remained unfazed and steady as a mountain, looking at Wang Dalong strangely.

“What am I anxious about, you ask? In university, it’s not just about final exam scores; it’s also about daily performance. You could easily fail!” Wang Dalong was sweating with anxiety.

Zhou Buqi shook his head and said, “So what if we fail? You said it yourself, we’re university students. What kind of perfect university experience doesn’t involve failing a course? If you ask me, we should seize the initiative from the teachers and strive to fail on purpose. Now that’s impressive.”

“Uh…”

Wang Dalong was speechless, unable to retort.

“Skipping class, failing courses—these are all valuable experiences. Dorm leader, I think your ideological awareness should be higher. It’s just a female teacher, what are you afraid of?”

“This… isn’t that good?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? Don’t worry, we’re in this together! If we win, we celebrate together; if something goes wrong, we face it together!”

“Will that work?”

Wang Dalong was somewhat swayed by his words.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “It’ll work! It’s settled! A class like Basic Accounting is useless, it doesn’t matter if you attend or not. Come on, let’s download War3. When Old Yan gets back, we’ll crush him and stop him from being so arrogant every day.”

Wang Dalong steeled himself, having given up. “Alright, let’s do that. We’re not going!”

Twenty minutes later, Wang Dalong was already sitting in front of the computer, happily playing games, while Zhou Buqi received a call and left with a serious expression.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and he appeared in Wen Zhixia’s office.

“Can you give me an explanation for what happened today?”

“Teacher Wen, didn’t I tell you? I’m busy, I’m starting a business.”

“Starting a business is no excuse for skipping class! I also started a business when I was an undergraduate, and that store is still open now. I never skipped my first class like you did.”

“You call that starting a business?”

Zhou Buqi was annoyed by her assertive attitude and retorted sarcastically.

“Uh?”

Wen Zhixia was taken aback, her eyes wide.

“Ah… ahem, Teacher Wen, that’s not what I meant.”

Zhou Buqi’s face looked awkward as he tried to joke around and lighten the mood.

Wen Zhixia said coldly, “Do you want to fail?”

“No.”

“If you want to fail, just say so. You can come to my class or not, I don’t care.”

“How could that be? Only an idiot would intentionally fail.”

Zhou Buqi spoke with righteous indignation, standing perfectly straight.

Wen Zhixia was wearing a blue round-neck short-sleeved top with dark blue jeans. If it weren’t for her powerful aura, it would be hard to imagine she was a teacher; she looked no different from a fourth-year undergraduate Senior Student.

However, from Zhou Buqi’s elevated position, he felt he could glimpse something he shouldn’t along her neckline.

Wen Zhixia also keenly noticed the strangeness in his gaze. Her face flushed, and she calmly pointed to the chair opposite her. “Go sit down. I want to tell you something.”

She had also started a business and knew that the courses she taught were useless to an entrepreneur. Her personality was quite strong, but she was definitely not the unreasonable and difficult type.

Zhou Buqi quickly sat down, his gaze much freer. He smiled, “Teacher Wen, criticize me all you want, I’ll accept it. But if you want me to attend class, no way!”

Wen Zhixia was amused by him, then her expression tightened. She said indifferently, “The school has assigned me a task: to mentor a student project. I went to see it, and it’s really well done. I know you’re ambitious and have drive, but starting a business isn’t just about being bold and aggressive; you need planning and strategy. I suggest you don’t rush into things. You can go observe and learn for a while first. I’ll put in a word for you; maybe you could even start a business with him.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi looked confused.

Wen Zhixia frowned. “Be serious. I have entrepreneurial experience, and I understand your current mindset best. Don’t be too arrogant; humble learning is an essential quality for entrepreneurs. Moreover, that entrepreneurial student is excellent, he found the right project, and the success rate is extremely high. Going to learn from him for a while will be beneficial for you.”

“Who is it?” Zhou Buqi looked up and asked her.

“Would you know if I told you?” Wen Zhixia gave him an annoyed glare, displeased. “He’s your Senior Student, much more stable than you! Never mind, there’s still time now, and people should still be there. I’ll take you over.”

“Oh, alright then.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t refuse. He eagerly picked up the white jacket lying on the office desk, intending to help Teacher Wen put it on, but she glared him back with a single look.

Teacher Wen put on her jacket and led Zhou Buqi out of the Economics and Management Building, walking towards the Public Teaching Building.

That was the most frequently used teaching building on campus, with the highest foot traffic.

Zhou Buqi’s expression became peculiar.

Inside the teaching building, in the lobby on the first floor, on the wall outside the corridor, hung a large banner six or seven meters long—Yuanwei Milk Tea.

Wen Zhixia glanced at him provocatively, a slight smirk on her lips, and lectured, “See? This is their work. Have you learned anything?”

Watching Zhou Buqi’s expression grow increasingly strange, Wen Zhixia felt a surge of triumph.

In her opinion, educating such an unruly student wasn’t enough with just lectures; she needed to find an even more impressive student to subdue him!

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be convinced!

Hmm, Yuanwei Milk Tea, well done!

Chapter 39: Is It Really That Hard to Acknowledge Others’ Excellence?

“Spacing out?”

Wen Zhixia saw that fellow stop moving and, suppressing a smile, encouraged him, “Don’t be discouraged. You’re only a freshman, and you have a lot of room to grow. And that drive you have is very suitable for starting a business. As long as you study hard and strive for progress, you’ll succeed one day.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Zhou Buqi felt bewildered and pouted, “It’s just a crummy banner, what’s the big deal?”

Wen Zhixia hadn’t expected him to still refuse to admit it, even when faced with the undeniable truth, so she got a little angry and criticized him sharply, “Zhou Buqi, what’s wrong with you? This is marketing! Don’t you understand marketing? Putting everything else aside, can you get the school’s approval to hang such a large banner here? Is it really that hard to acknowledge others’ excellence?”

“The key is, it’s not excellent!”

Zhou Buqi gave a bitter smile, “How stupid is this banner? Red background with white characters. At night or on a cloudy day, if the light is a bit dim, you can’t see what’s written on it at all. In my opinion, they should make a signboard with built-in lights, so the four characters ‘Yuanwei Milk Tea’ can shine brightly, making it more eye-catching.”

Wen Zhixia’s face turned pale with anger. “You… you’re just full of hot air! Zhou Buqi, I’m very disappointed in you!”

“What did I do?” Zhou Buqi looked wronged. “I’m just telling the truth.”

Wen Zhixia put on her teacher’s airs and, disappointed that someone isn’t living up to their potential, said, “I think you’re just overly ambitious and impractical. You think you’re so great just because you have a few ideas, as if you’re the most amazing person in the world. They managed to open a milk tea shop here and hang a banner to attract customers. Isn’t that good enough?”

Zhou Buqi pouted, “Good enough for what? An eighteen-year-old girl can directly lease a shop in the prime area of the campus for 250,000 yuan, paid in installments. That’s much more impressive than him.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Wen Zhixia looked bewildered, not knowing what he was saying. After thinking for a moment, she even thought he was praising her, so she shook her head and said, “No, when I started my business as an undergraduate, I was already twenty. I bid directly with the school and didn’t pay any transfer fees.”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes went wide.

This Teacher Wen, she really likes to flatter herself, doesn’t she?

Who was talking about you?

I was talking about Little Sister Bao from Beijing Foreign Studies University!

Wen Zhixia saw that he wasn’t speaking and thought he had realized his mistake, so she nodded slightly, quite satisfied. “Let’s go, let’s take a look at the shop. They specifically hired a design company for the overall renovation style, it has a very good reading atmosphere.”

The first room in the right corridor was the Yuanwei milk tea shop.

The lights were bright, and seven or eight people were busy with the renovations inside. Two were professional decorators, and the others were senior students Guo Pengfei had found to help with odd jobs. However, Guo Pengfei wasn’t there; no one knew where that guy had run off to.

“Teacher Wen, you’re here?”

A thin-faced male student had sharp eyes and spotted Wen Zhixia at a glance. The young boy next to him didn’t recognize her.

Wen Zhixia smiled and nodded, “I see the renovation is almost done. Is it time to open?”

The thin-faced man said awkwardly, “I don’t know either. We’re all here to help Guo Pengfei…”

At this moment, someone else chimed in, saying admiringly, “I heard Guo Pengfei say he went to the Capital Food Research Institute and got everything sorted out there.”

“Food Research Institute?” Wen Zhixia was slightly startled, finding it somewhat incredible. “What for?”

“To research milk tea recipes!”

“Yeah, that guy Guo Pengfei talks big, like he wants to create some kind of chain brand or something. Don’t know if it’ll work out, but the momentum is pretty impressive.”

“I heard that Beijing Institute of Technology is also opening a Yuanwei milk tea shop? Don’t know if it’s true.”

“Ah? My high school classmate is at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and she said their school is also opening a Yuanwei milk tea shop.”

“Really?”

“Couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?”

“Probably not. One is a coincidence, two means there must be a plan. Maybe it really is a chain store.”

…

Everyone spoke one after another, and Wen Zhixia was stunned.

What was going on?

This was actually a chain milk tea shop?

Branches were opening at Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing Foreign Studies University?

To research milk tea recipes, they even specifically went to the Capital Food Research Institute to find professionals for help?

Was this still just a college student’s startup?

Wen Zhixia’s vermilion lips slightly parted, her phoenix eyes wide open. She simply couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had also started a business during her undergraduate years, but she had never thought of creating a chain store.

Opening a chain store was by no means as simple as just opening a few more branches. It involved a complete change in the business process; everything had to move towards formalized corporate operations. Putting everything else aside, could they do accounting? Could they prepare tax forms? Could they calculate tax amounts?

“Boss, why are you here?”

Just then, Guo Pengfei’s voice suddenly came from behind them.

His hands were wet from washing them; he must have gone to the restroom.

Wen Zhixia turned around, thinking he was talking to her, and frowned slightly, saying very seriously, “This is a campus; don’t bring bad habits from society in here. Also, although I am the advising teacher for this project, I will only provide some conceptual guidance to prevent you from making basic mistakes during your entrepreneurial process. But ultimately, you are the decision-maker for this project.”

Guo Pengfei slapped his forehead. “Oh! Teacher Wen is here too!”

“Hmm?”

Wen Zhixia blinked, momentarily stunned.

What did that mean?

‘I’m here too’?

So you weren’t talking to me just now?

Then who were you calling ‘Boss’?

At this moment, a calm voice came from the side, “Yes, Teacher Wen and I came to check things out. I was just saying, Guo Pengfei, that banner outside is too stupid. Later, replace it with a brighter signboard on the wall; it’ll be more eye-catching.”

“Alright!” Guo Pengfei nodded. “But that signboard will cost several thousand!”

Zhou Buqi said faintly, “Researching the recipe shouldn’t cost money now; I’ve saved a large sum from that budget. So the milk tea equipment won’t need to be paid from the shop’s accounts; I’ll pay for it directly.”

Guo Pengfei was overjoyed. “That’s great! Then I’ll have some left over. I’ll get some tables then. The ones provided by the school are just desks, too ugly, and they don’t match our renovation style.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, “Alright, you handle it yourself.”

At this moment, everyone present understood.

That impossibly young fellow was the true owner of the milk tea shop.

The decorators worked even harder, and the senior students who came to help secretly observed Zhou Buqi, wondering if this guy really had extraordinary abilities.

And our beautiful and dignified Teacher Wen, her face flushed, left without even saying hello.

“Teacher Wen?!”

Guo Pengfei felt bewildered and called out from behind.

Zhou Buqi stepped forward and patted his shoulder, “For such a difficult task, brother will handle it personally. You just focus on the renovation.”

After leaving the teaching building, Zhou Buqi caught up to Wen Zhixia in a few steps and said with a grin, “Teacher Wen, it must be that I didn’t do well enough and made you angry.”

Wen Zhixia’s pretty face flushed red. She glared at him fiercely and said coldly, “Who did you learn that from? So ruffian-like, look at you, what part of you looks like a student?”

Zhou Buqi was very annoyed and retorted angrily, “If I’m ruffian-like and don’t look like a student, then you’re dressed up to the nines and don’t look like a teacher!”

“You!”

Wen Zhixia’s pretty face turned cold, her phoenix eyes filled with authority.

Zhou Buqi snorted, “You started it first. Neither of us owes the other anything! Bye-bye! See you!”

With that, he turned and walked away.

He didn’t care if she was a teacher or not; women shouldn’t be spoiled, or they’ll walk all over you.

Wen Zhixia was almost fuming. She snapped, “Zhou Buqi, do you want to fail your course?”

Zhou Buqi turned back and retorted furiously, “If you dare to fail me, I’ll shift gears on you!”

Wen Zhixia was stunned, unable to utter a single word.

She understood the local dialect of The Capital. “Shifting gears” was an idiomatic term, meaning to get involved with someone. Getting involved with two girls was called “shifting to second gear,” getting involved with three girls was called “shifting to third gear,” and so on.

Was she… was she being teased by this male student again?

This was the third time, wasn’t it?

Chapter 40: Little Sister Bao Was Bullied

Evening.

With Zhou Buqi’s laptop making an appearance, Dorm Room 205 immediately livened up.

Especially Wang Dalong, who was full of mischievous ideas.

“Old Zhou, do you have PP on your computer?”

“What? Is there PP Video these days?”

“What PP Video? What are you talking about?”

Wang Dalong thought Zhou Buqi was a total bumpkin, having never even heard of a divine tool like PP.

It was Yan Xinlei, focused on his game nearby, who casually replied, “PP Streamer!”

Only then did Zhou Buqi realize.

The earliest P2P download software in China, now a divine tool for downloading movies.

“What do you want to do?” Zhou Buqi asked, looking wary.

“Download one, of course.” Wang Dalong winked, a suggestive look on his face, chuckling, “It’s late at night, let’s get something warm!”

Zhou Buqi flatly refused, “No way! That stuff has viruses, and I still need my computer. Playing Warcraft 3 is fine, but nothing else.”

Wang Dalong scoffed, “Why are you so stingy? At worst, I’ll buy you Rising Antivirus!”

Zhou Buqi would never agree. “If you want to download, use Old Yan’s computer, not mine.”

Yan Xinlei immediately refused, “Maybe another day, I’m busy trying to get a girlfriend.”

“Get a girlfriend? An online relationship?”

Zhou Buqi walked over, casually picked up a banana from his desk, and ate it. He saw Yan Xinlei playing the classic online game Fantasy Westward Journey, and he had met a girl in the game, chatting with her in a deeply affectionate manner.

“Hope it’s not a big guy with smelly feet,” Wang Dalong also leaned over, saying with a giggle.

Yan Xinlei cursed, “Get lost! This is a real girl! You can tell from her tone. She even said she’d video chat with me if there’s a chance, but I don’t have an MSN account, so I’ll apply for one another day.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “MSN, huh? Sounds like an elite.”

These days, Tencent QQ users were considered the “three lows” group: low age, low education, and low income. After freshmen entered university, they left the low-age and low-education groups behind and were all applying for MSN accounts to embrace a more sophisticated online life.

Yan Xinlei was very pleased and proud. “Exactly!”

Wang Dalong pouted, “I just hope she’s not a dinosaur.”

“Dinosaur? What does that mean?”

“You haven’t even read ‘First Intimate Contact’?”

“No.”

“You just play games all day, I really don’t know how you got into University of Science and Technology.”

“I’m a local, the score requirement was lower. Don’t interrupt, what does ‘dinosaur’ mean?”

“Ugly hag!”

“Damn it!”

Yan Xinlei cursed again, showing no respect for the dorm leader.

After a while, it was almost twelve o’clock. Wang Dalong pulled a washbasin from under his bed cabinet, and inside it was a dozens-of-meters-long power strip.

Zhou Buqi, who was about to fall asleep, immediately sat up. “Holy crap!”

He was all too familiar with this scene.

In his previous life, when he studied at Jilin University, he had played this trick.

The dorms would turn off lights and power at night. What to do if you wanted to keep playing on the computer? You had to get power.

The laundry room next to the bathroom had electricity and outlets. All you needed was a dozens-of-meters-long power strip to connect the laundry room to the dorm.

“Holy crap! Awesome!” Yan Xinlei was about to shut down his computer, but he didn’t expect Wang Dalong to pull off this trick again. He immediately sang praises, “Dorm leader, you’re awesome!”

Wang Dalong laughed heartily, “Bought it this afternoon! Let’s game!”

Yang Xin, the artsy type, looked displeased, his face turning green. He said discontentedly, “You two, keep it down, don’t disturb Old Zhou’s rest.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “It’s fine, I’m fine! You two play as much as you want.”

In his heart, he secretly pondered, should he go out and rent a place?

But renting alone wasn’t very interesting.

It would be best to find a roommate.

And the roommate should preferably be female.

Wu Yu?

No, she’s silly. Living with her would definitely annoy him to death.

Xue Baoshan?

Little Sister Bao is reserved; she definitely wouldn’t agree.

Xu Baihui?

This one is even more impossible. This girl is clearly experienced in many relationships. Even if Zhou Buqi considered himself Sun Wukong, capable of subduing all sorts of White Bone Demons, Xu Baihui was Guanyin Bodhisattva. Without the means of Tathagata Buddha, no one should even try to approach her.

Zhen Yu?

Not very familiar with her, and she’s doing postgraduate studies at Central University of Finance and Economics, too far away.

Wen Zhixia?

Uh…

Zhou Buqi shivered, then suddenly sat up from his bed. This one seemed plausible.

Teacher Wen rode her bicycle to and from work every day, which showed she wasn’t very well-off. And she had mentioned before that she was quite busy recently because her rental lease was almost up, and the landlord wasn’t renewing it, so she needed to find a new place.

Oh, what a coincidence!

…

Zhou Buqi continued to skip classes and sleep in.

Last night, those two bastards played games until past three in the morning, making so much noise that he didn’t sleep well.

Around nine in the morning, he received a call.

It was Xue Baoshan.

“Little Sister Bao?” Zhou Buqi asked, his eyes hazy with sleep, yawning.

“Are you still sleeping?” Xue Baoshan’s voice was ethereal and pleasant.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

Zhou Buqi stretched, sitting up from his bed.

The dorm room was empty.

Xue Baoshan said softly, “I need to tell you something.”

“Hmm.”

“My shop was vandalized.”

“What?!”

Zhou Buqi exclaimed in shock, instantly wide awake as if a basin of cold water had been poured over his head. “The milk tea shop was vandalized?”

“Yes.” Xue Baoshan was very calm, just like usual.

“When did this happen?”

“It must have been last night. When I arrived this morning, I found the shop door pried open, and someone had gone inside and destroyed the interior decorations.”

“Have you contacted the school?”

“I reported it to the Security Office, and also told them some of my suspicions. The Security Office has communicated with the General Affairs Office and the Logistics Office, and they all claimed to be unaware of it, and their actions were a bit slow.”

Xue Baoshan’s words were calm, but the subtext was full of hidden currents.

The General Affairs Office and Logistics Office were unaware of this, what did that mean?

Could it be that Liu Wenbo didn’t submit the joint letter?

Could it be that even with a joint letter from the ten-university alliance, Beijing Foreign Studies University’s General Affairs Office still wouldn’t intervene? Would they give the other party an opportunity, even allowing a smashing and vandalizing incident to occur?

A surge of anger suddenly rose in Zhou Buqi’s heart.

Damn it!

Are they messing with me?!

In his opinion, Beijing Foreign Studies University’s school authorities would definitely not make such a low-level mistake. Tolerating a smashing and vandalizing incident, especially one involving the ten-university alliance, would be so serious that the principal would have to step down. Would they dare?

Then the problem must lie with Liu Wenbo.

“Who else have you told?” Zhou Buqi flipped over, jumped directly off the bed, and hurriedly got dressed.

Xue Baoshan calmly said, “No, after communicating with the school authorities, I called you first.”

Zhou Buqi said coldly, “Call Liu Wenbo directly and see what explanation he has! That bastard, he’s already playing tricks on me right at the start; who knows what he’ll do later!”

“Okay, I’ll tell him.”

Xue Baoshan wasn’t surprised by his words.

After a pause, Zhou Buqi calmed down and said softly, “When you call Liu Wenbo, be polite in your tone, don’t let anything slip.”

“I know.”

Xue Baoshan’s voice was light and cheerful, seemingly unaffected by the smashing and vandalizing incident at all.

After ending the call, Zhou Buqi called Guo Pengfei: “Gather some people, those who can fight. Meet at the West Gate, we’re going to Beijing Foreign Studies University!”

“What for?”

“Baoshan was bullied.”

“What?!”

Over the phone, Guo Pengfei’s voice shrieked like a pig being slaughtered, “You wait, I’ll be right there!”

Subsequently, Zhou Buqi called Zhang Yinlei from Minzu University of China, Meng Houkun from China Agricultural University, and Ma Ping Shan from Beihang University. The message was concise: Little Sister Bao was bullied at Beijing Foreign Studies University, gather everyone, we’re going for revenge!

Of course, such matters couldn’t rely solely on impulsive enthusiasm; strategy was also needed.

Originally, when Little Sister Bao told him about the shop being harassed yesterday, he didn’t take it seriously, considering it a minor issue and leaving it to Liu Wenbo to handle.

With Liu Wenbo’s capabilities, it could have been easily resolved.

Unexpectedly, a day later, the situation not only wasn’t resolved but had become even more serious.

The milk tea shop, which was still undergoing renovations, was actually vandalized!

At this point, it was much harder for Zhou Buqi to come out and clean up the mess than it would have been yesterday.

At the very least, morale couldn’t be allowed to falter.

He needed to show his stance to reassure Little Sister Bao.

If handled properly, it might even turn into a blessing in disguise, becoming a good opportunity to win people’s hearts.

Zhou Buqi got dressed, walked out of the dorm building, hesitated for a long time, and finally dialed a number: “Principal Hu, I apologize for disturbing you. This is Zhou Buqi, I visited your office before. Yes, it’s me. There’s something I might need your help with. Do you know any of the school leaders at Beijing Foreign Studies University…”

Chapter 41: Smashing the Shop

Half an hour later, the main group arrived at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

There were over thirty male students in total from Beijing University of Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Minzu University of China, and Beihang University, all looking menacing.

Outside the Yuanwei milk tea shop, Xue Baoshan was earnestly discussing something with Liu Wenbo. At the shop entrance, two Security Office personnel were standing guard, preventing anyone from entering, stating they needed to preserve evidence.

Seeing so many “murderous” male students suddenly arrive, the two Security Office personnel were startled and quickly asked, “What are you doing? You can’t gather here, all of you move aside!”

Zhou Buqi ignored them and walked over to Xue Baoshan, asking with concern, “Are you alright?”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips into a smile, “I’m perfectly fine.”

Liu Wenbo looked apologetic, his face bitter as he said, “I really didn’t expect something like this to happen. Boss Zhou, I failed at the task you gave me.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “It has nothing to do with you. I also didn’t expect them to be so insane and ruthless. But it’s good, too. To destroy something, you must first let it go mad. This time, we’ll solve the problem once and for all.”

Liu Wenbo caught the killing intent in his tone and was slightly taken aback, “What are you going to do?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t elaborate, instead asking, “Did you submit your joint letter yesterday?”

Liu Wenbo replied, “Yes, I submitted it directly to the General Affairs Office.”

“Directly into the hands of the leaders?”

“Not exactly. I’m from an outside university, so the security guard wouldn’t let me in. I asked the guard to pass it on for me.”

“Oh…”

Zhou Buqi remained calm, a cold sneer forming in his heart.

It was indeed you!

You couldn’t get in just because the security guard wouldn’t let you?

Are you a pig-headed idiot?

Don’t you know the efficiency of security guards?

If it was submitted like that, getting it onto a leader’s desk within a day would be considered fast!

This was blatant inaction, and on a battlefield, it would be a missed opportunity, deserving of execution.

Liu Wenbo seemed to sense Zhou Buqi’s displeasure and added, “I know that’s not right, but there was nothing I could do; I’m an outside student. However, I heard that the commercial shops within Beijing Foreign Studies University are coordinated by the General Affairs Office and managed by the Logistics Office, so I also sent a letter to the Logistics Office, as a double safeguard.”

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow, “Sent a letter? The Ten-University joint letter?”

“No, not that one.” Liu Wenbo shook his head, “I described the whole situation under my personal name. If we submitted identical documents to both the General Affairs Office and the Logistics Office, they might think we don’t trust them, which would be counterproductive.”

At this, Zhou Buqi became even more certain.

This Liu Wenbo truly was a talent!

His trick of killing with a borrowed knife was truly brilliant!

Clearly, Liu Wenbo was very familiar with the situation inside Beijing Foreign Studies University.

The shop Xue Baoshan rented was previously opened through back channels by the Logistics Office leader’s brother-in-law, with low rent and a long lease. From this, it was evident that the Logistics Office leader was corrupt, and the supermarket at the East Gate likely had a private connection with him as well.

This created room for manipulation.

Heh, honestly, Liu Wenbo had spent over a year in detention, and his methods, cunning, and planning were indeed far superior to those of pure-hearted university students.

So superior that Zhou Buqi couldn’t bear to fire him.

Good talent was hard to come by!

“Alright, I understand.” Zhou Buqi nodded, giving him a smile, “The way this matter has developed has nothing to do with you. Oh, do you still have a copy of the Ten-University joint letter?”

“Yes, it’s on a USB drive.”

“Go print one and deliver it to the supermarket at the East Gate.”

“You’re going to confront them directly?”

Liu Wenbo’s expression changed.

The rival milk tea shop was right next to the supermarket and should be part of the same establishment.

Xue Baoshan also looked worried and whispered, “Student Zhou, my friend came back from there and told me there are two young thugs with tattoos on their arms in the supermarket’s milk tea shop. They’re quite fierce.”

Zhou Buqi looked back at the thirty-plus strong men behind him and gave a cold laugh, “Don’t forget, this is a university! In a university, students are the masters!”

After speaking, he waved his hand backward and shouted loudly, “Follow me!”

Liu Wenbo was terrified, his face turning pale then purple.

It wouldn’t really escalate, would it?

This wasn’t his intention!

The reason he hadn’t been so invested in this matter was mainly to hint to Zhou Buqi not to be autocratic, as a warning.

They were partners in this venture.

But now?

Zhou Buqi had become Boss Zhou, and everyone respected and deferred to him, as if they were employees and he was the big boss.

Liu Wenbo was very dissatisfied with this situation.

He felt that his position in the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, even if not as high as Zhou Buqi’s, should at least be second-in-command, earning everyone’s respect.

But in reality? Everyone only knew Boss Zhou, not Boss Liu.

This incident was indeed instigated by him from behind the scenes, with the goal of escalating things appropriately. When Zhou Buqi was overwhelmed and stressed and couldn’t handle it, he would then step in to clean up the mess and offer a perfect solution.

With this wave of operations, his personal prestige would naturally rise with the situation.

He hadn’t expected Zhou Buqi to seemingly not fall for this trick!

He seemed to be going for a hard approach!

“Baoshan, you’re a girl, quickly go and persuade Boss Zhou, don’t be impulsive. If things escalate, they’ll be hard to clean up!” Liu Wenbo was genuinely scared; he had a criminal record.

If something happened, others might just get a disciplinary action, but he risked being expelled.

Xue Baoshan was firm in her resolve, gently shaking her head, “Student Zhou has his considerations; I trust him.”

Liu Wenbo twitched his lips, his heart tied in seventeen or eighteen knots.

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips and advised, “Senior Student Liu, hurry and print it. Student Zhou might need it soon.”

Liu Wenbo sighed deeply, wanting to cry but having no tears.

He could only pray bitterly in his heart.

Hopefully, nothing bad would happen.

…

The campus of Beijing Foreign Studies University was small. Zhou Buqi led his group directly to the East Gate supermarket.

Indeed, there was a small shop next to the entrance selling milk tea.

The most ordinary, cheapest kind of pearl milk tea.

Four yuan a cup.

Zhou Buqi was currently involved in the milk tea industry, so he understood the market very well. That kind of cheap pearl milk tea wouldn’t cost more than 80 fen to make.

That was a 400 percent gross profit!

Absolutely massive, unbeatable profits!

Otherwise, would milk tea shops spring up like bamboo shoots after rain on every street and alley? Otherwise, would they dare to act in defiance of all norms and use extreme actions like smashing a shop to suppress a competitor?

Profit moves people’s hearts.

“What do you want?”

The server was a young woman in her twenties, with a good attitude.

Zhou Buqi didn’t want to make things difficult for her and asked, “Where’s your shop owner?”

“The owner is over at the supermarket.” The server showed a sweet smile, “If you’re looking for the owner, you can find them there.”

At this moment, the two young thugs with tattoos on their necks and arms, sitting at a table in the shop, all turned their heads and looked over.

Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm. He took out a brand new pack of Furongwang cigarettes he had just bought from his pocket, slowly unwrapped it, slowly pulled out a cigarette, and slowly lit it.

His eyes were fixed on the two young thugs.

“Damn it, what are you looking at?”

“The shop next to the stadium, was it you two who smashed it?”

As soon as these words came out, the two young thugs’ expressions instantly changed, their eyes becoming even more wary.

Good!

That was enough!

For this kind of thing, evidence wasn’t needed, as long as they didn’t beat the wrong people.

“All of you, come in!”

Zhou Buqi took two deep drags from his cigarette and shouted towards the entrance.

Then, twenty or thirty young men filed in, one by one, their eyes wide and fierce.

“Holy crap!”

Seeing the situation was not good, the two young thugs suddenly stood up and yelled angrily, “What are you doing? Are you looking for death?”

Zhou Buqi turned around and softly said to the server, whose face had turned pale with fright, “You go out first. Go to the supermarket and call your boss over.”

“Oh, oh, okay.”

The female server also saw that the situation was bad. She went to the back and shouted, calling the other servers away as well.

“Alright, everyone’s gone.” Zhou Buqi, with the cigarette still in his mouth, spat it out directly. He pulled a mop from behind the door, his eyes narrowed into slits, “Smash the shop!”

“Damn it, you’re really tired of living!”

The two young thugs went crazy and tried to rush forward.

Zhou Buqi swung the mop stick at their heads and shouted, “First, beat these two flat! Damn it, how dare they smash my shop!”

They swarmed forward.

Zhou Buqi’s side had overwhelming numbers, and they were all university students filled with impulsive enthusiasm and surging energy. As they rushed forward, it was a flurry of punches and kicks.

At first, the university students were a bit hesitant, holding back.

But as the two young thugs fought back, a few people suffered blows and got hit a few times. They immediately became enraged, no longer caring about anything else, striking with heavy force, truly getting angry.

Before long, the two young thugs were yelping and screaming, curled up on the ground like two dead dogs.

“Quickly! Smash the shop!”

Zhou Buqi didn’t want to waste time. He directly jumped over the counter, kicked over the sealing machine, and then smashed the tea brewing machine with a stick.

The others were not to be outdone. In just one or two minutes, they completely destroyed all the machines in the entire milk tea shop.

Tea leaves, creamer, and other materials were scattered everywhere. Various expensive precision instruments were either smashed or broken into pieces. Even the ice cream machine, worth over 10,000 yuan, had a large dent kicked into it and was essentially scrapped.

Wasn’t it about smashing shops?

Wasn’t it about destruction?

Then let’s do it!

Anyway, my shop isn’t even finished with renovations yet. You can smash it however you want; let’s see whose loss is greater!

Soon, the supermarket owner arrived, shouting loudly, “Stop! Stop it immediately! Who are you? We’ve already called the police!”

As he shouted, tears welled up in his eyes from the heartache.

He also ran a small business.

Don’t look at the milk tea shop’s huge profits; the rent was high, and the bribes given to the Logistics Office leader every year were also substantial. With this kind of destruction, he would suffer heavy losses.

Someone arrived, and everyone stopped, looking at Zhou Buqi.

Zhou Buqi fiercely kicked the counter again, directly creating a large hole in the wooden counter.

Only then did he throw away the mop in his hand, pull out another cigarette, slowly light it, and say indifferently, “Let’s go. Take those two dead dogs with us. We’re going to see the real boss and settle the score!”

Chapter 42: The Storm Subsides

When Liu Wenbo rushed to the scene with the printed joint letter from the ten universities, he was almost paralyzed by the sight before him.

It’s over!

It really blew up!

The Security Office was there, the Public Security Bureau was there, and even seven or eight school leaders had arrived, urgently dealing with the matter.

The students watching were seven or eight layers deep, inside and out, easily over a thousand people.

In the middle of the crowd, Zhou Buqi stood confronting them with his people, while two tattooed men lay on the ground, groaning miserably.

Hearing how everyone addressed him, Liu Wenbo nearly fainted.

The leading school official was actually the Principal.

“Wenbo, come here quickly!”

Zhou Buqi spotted him at a glance and called him over loudly.

Liu Wenbo felt a bitter pang in his heart. He could only brace himself and step forward, handing the joint letter to Zhou Buqi, then silently taking two steps back to stand behind him.

This action made Zhou Buqi feel a little better.

It seemed Liu Wenbo still had some principles when it came to conduct; he hadn’t left to avoid suspicion just because the situation had gotten too big.

This showed he still wished to remain part of the team.

“Principal Li, this is our joint letter.” Zhou Buqi handed over the letter, his tone calm and unhurried. At this moment, it was the school administration that was anxious. “For some time now, our milk tea shop has been harassed by these undesirable elements from society. We are just students, so it’s difficult for us to handle directly; we could only communicate with the school. Yesterday, we submitted this joint letter from the ten universities to the Academic Affairs Office and also reported it to the relevant leaders in the Logistics Office.”

Principal Li was busy with major affairs every day; how could he know about such trivial matters?

Immediately, his eyes widened, and he turned to look to his left.

The school leader on the left paled and quickly said, “The General Affairs Office didn’t receive it. Student, who did you give the documents to?”

Zhou Buqi replied, “Because we’re from outside universities and couldn’t enter, we had the gate guard pass it on.”

This school leader secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then his face darkened. “It must have been negligence and dereliction of duty by the subordinates, delaying a major matter.”

Principal Li then looked to his right. The leader from the Logistics Office averted his gaze, his expression changing rapidly. “This… the Logistics Office did indeed receive the relevant notification yesterday, but we were still verifying it, we didn’t… didn’t…”

Principal Li almost exploded, fiercely flicking his sleeve. “Enough!”

He was very angry. On one hand, he was angry that the school’s handling was too simplistic and didn’t give the matter enough importance. On the other hand, this young student named Zhou Buqi was a troublemaker, acting without restraint, and had even smashed someone’s milk tea shop in broad daylight.

If it weren’t for Old Hu from Beijing University of Science and Technology having called him beforehand, he would have wished to let the police take over and directly arrest these university students.

Zhou Buqi noticed Principal Li’s displeasure and calmly said, “It’s just a pity that after submitting the documents, we didn’t receive any feedback from the school.”

Principal Li had by then finished reading the joint letter from the ten universities, and his heart was shaken.

He hadn’t expected it to truly involve ten universities!

And all of them were highly prestigious: Peking University, Renmin University of China, Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing University of Science and Technology, China Agricultural University… Any one of them was higher in standing and more renowned than Beijing Foreign Studies University.

What’s more, who were these students? All held important positions in their university or faculty Student Unions, and some even held temporary positions in their university Youth League Committees.

These were genuine student leaders; there was no faking it.

Such an important joint letter, and it was actually given the cold shoulder by the General Affairs Office and the Logistics Office?

What were they even doing?

However, anger aside, Principal Li still had to consider the school’s reputation. He said in a deep voice, “Even so, you cannot engage in excessive behavior.”

Zhou Buqi sighed and said, “Principal Li, it seems there are some things you don’t know. Right after we submitted the joint letter, perhaps the news leaked, or perhaps someone was insane and ruthless, but last night, our milk tea shop was smashed.”

“What?”

Principal Li’s expression suddenly changed.

Smashing a shop on campus?

And it was a shop opened by student entrepreneurs?

Forget that the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance was behind this; even if it were just an entrepreneurial project initiated by Beijing Foreign Studies University itself, such an incident would be appalling.

Zhou Buqi said, “Just now, we came to Beijing Foreign Studies University to discuss a solution. However, all we saw was the Security Office sealing our shop, with no other action taken. Yet, if you ask any student on the street, they are well aware that there were two arrogant young men from society inside the supermarket milk tea shop.”

Principal Li was furious, almost gasping for breath.

Zhou Buqi continued, “There was no other way; we had to take action ourselves. If we waited for them to react and escape, it would only add a greater burden to the school and the public security organs. During the apprehension, they showed no remorse, resisted fiercely, and even damaged the machinery and equipment in the milk tea shop, which was also not what we wanted to see.”

Principal Li gasped sharply.

He could tell there was some embellishment in Zhou Buqi’s words, but not much. The fundamental reason was still a problem on the school’s side, especially with the timing being too coincidental.

They submitted the joint letter, and then immediately after, their shop was smashed?

Was there some collusion for profit behind this?

The nature of the incident was very serious!

Looking at the two badly injured young men from society lying on the ground, and then at the milk tea shop owner, whose expression was miserable and distraught with fear, the truth of the matter was largely clear.

“Alright, I understand this matter.”

Principal Li took a deep breath, his face ashen, and nodded slightly.

This matter couldn’t be dragged out any longer; it needed to be resolved quickly, especially to prevent so many students from gathering here for too long. They needed to be dispersed immediately.

“Student Zhou Buqi, is that right? I now ask you to immediately lead everyone away from here. I will instruct the relevant departments to investigate this matter as quickly as possible and provide you with a satisfactory answer. Today’s incident, the fault is not yours, I understand.”

Principal Li first characterized the incident, absolving the university students of responsibility, then turned to a police officer nearby and said, “Those two undesirable youths are yours to handle. As for the rest, the school will take care of it, what do you say?”

“No problem!”

…

Soon, a storm was defused.

The whole thing didn’t take more than half an hour.

Zhou Buqi, who had led people to smash the milk tea shop, encountered no mishaps. Just as they had gone to smash the shop, they returned with their people.

Each of them stood tall, chests out, full of vigor, like triumphant heroes returning.

The one with the most complex feelings was undoubtedly Liu Wenbo.

He truly hadn’t expected Zhou Buqi to pull off such a brilliant move; this was even more ingenious than killing with a borrowed knife!

Putting everything else aside, the milk tea shop at the supermarket was definitely a failure.

With such a major incident, it wouldn’t be long before it spread throughout Beijing Foreign Studies University.

By then, even if this supermarket milk tea shop were redecorated and reopened, not many students would frequent it. The student body is special largely due to their youthful impulsiveness and internal solidarity.

“Is that it for this matter?” Liu Wenbo felt very uneasy, sidling over to make conversation.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Of course not, our shop hasn’t even opened yet. It was halfway through renovation and then got smashed; the school will definitely give us some response. Didn’t Principal Li say he’d give us a satisfactory answer?”

“Yes, yes, he did.”

Liu Wenbo gave an awkward smile. Seeing Zhou Buqi’s calm demeanor as he directed affairs, and then looking at the almost reverent gazes of his other followers, Liu Wenbo’s heart was filled with mixed emotions.

He had been involved in this matter from beginning to end, and his role was not insignificant.

Yet, the final outcome was vastly different from his initial vision.

Zhou Buqi’s prestige within the entrepreneurial alliance had grown even higher, while his own presence… seemed to have diminished further.

Just then, Xue Baoshan walked over from the front.

Today, she was wearing a white jacket, faded skinny jeans, and her hair in a ponytail, radiating youthful energy and appearing graceful and poised.

“Student Zhou, what about the shop?”

“Let’s redecorate it. Call a few more people. Is the budget still enough?”

“Mm.”

Xue Baoshan’s eyes were gentle, and she smiled faintly, the two small dimples at the corners of her mouth adding a touch of playfulness.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Buqi turned to Zhang Yinlei and said, “Baoshan is a girl; it’s ultimately a bit inconvenient for her. Anyway, Minzu University of China is very close to Beijing Foreign Studies University, so during the renovation, you should come over here more often, just in case they cause more trouble.”

Zhang Yinlei was exceptionally sturdy, over one hundred ninety centimeters tall, standing there like a telephone pole. His voice was rough: “No problem, leave it to me. I’ll come every day from now on.”

Chapter 43: Little Sister Bao is Actually Big Sister Bao

With such a major incident having occurred, it wasn’t really appropriate to keep Little Sister Bao at school anymore.

So, Zhou Buqi took her to the Food Research Institute to check on the progress of the milk tea formula development. While they were at it, they would visit the Forbidden City to lift their spirits and dispel any negative emotions.

Sitting on the subway, Zhou Buqi thought of something else. He took out his phone and sent a text message to Wen Zhixia: “Teacher Wen, are you looking for a place to live?”

Soon, a reply came: “Yes, why?”

Zhou Buqi: “Well, I’m starting a business, and living in the dorms isn’t convenient. I also want to rent a place outside.”

Wen Zhixia: “Alright then, I’ll keep an eye out for suitable places for you. How do you want to rent?”

Zhou Buqi wanted to say, “I want to rent with you!”

However, replying like that would be suicidal, so he subtly asked: “Teacher Wen, what kind of place are you looking to rent?”

There was a long silence before a reply came.

After a long while, his phone rang. It was Wen Zhixia.

“You want to rent a place?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me your requirements, and I’ll help you look.”

Although they had a few minor unpleasant encounters, Wen Zhixia was a good teacher and always cared for her students with particular enthusiasm.

Zhou Buqi said: “This is my first time renting a place outside, so I don’t have any experience and don’t know much about it. Teacher Wen, could you tell me if there are any hidden tricks or secrets involved?”

Wen Zhixia didn’t suspect anything. She said softly: “There are no hidden tricks, just go through a reputable agency. It mainly depends on your personal situation. If you’re not too concerned about privacy, you can share a rental; the rent pressure will be less. If you’re renting alone, it’s best to get a smaller place. Rents here are quite expensive.”

“What about you? What kind would you choose?”

“I’m looking for a one-bedroom, one-living room apartment, fifty to sixty square meters, with rent around two thousand. That’s still affordable.”

“What about a two-bedroom, one-living room?”

“Around three thousand.”

“Then a two-bedroom, one-living room is more cost-effective!” Zhou Buqi hinted heavily again.

Wen Zhixia didn’t pay it any mind at all. She said: “Yes, sharing a rental is definitely more economical. This is a university district, and available housing is very tight; it’s hard to find anything to rent.”

Zhou Buqi let out an “Oh,” then said, “Alright, then, that’s settled. You help me keep an eye out first, and if you find something suitable, hold onto it.”

Wen Zhixia asked curiously: “What kind of place are you looking to rent?”

Zhou Buqi said: “An apartment, a one-bedroom, one-living room type. It would be best if ours could be next to each other, so we can look out for each other if anything happens.”

Wen Zhixia was silent for a moment before slowly letting out an “Mm.” Then she added, “By the way, you didn’t come to class this morning again?”

“Hello? Hello? Oh, the signal’s bad…”

Zhou Buqi haphazardly hung up the phone, then let out a long sigh.

The stunning beauty of a teacher was not easy to fool!

The path to cohabitation was long and arduous; he still had to work hard.

“Student Zhou, are you going to rent a place off-campus?” Xue Baoshan had overheard his phone call and tilted her head curiously.

Zhou Buqi nodded. “Yeah, there are three ‘great gods’ in my dorm; I need to get away from them.”

Xue Baoshan said softly: “Rent a better place. If you don’t have enough money, I have some.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi’s expression changed. He turned to look at her: “Who said I don’t have money? Don’t forget, I’m a Rich second-generation! My family’s assets are several hundred million!”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips, smiling, and teased him: “But aren’t you not using your family’s money?”

Zhou Buqi lifted his chin and scoffed: “So what? Hmph, money is as easy as taking something from my pocket for me. One or two million is easy, and ten to twenty million isn’t difficult either.”

“Then why are you still working so hard to open a milk tea shop?” Xue Baoshan found it very curious.

“Do you think I’d be interested in just this small milk tea market?” Zhou Buqi shook his head, his expression calm. “Whether it’s milk tea shops or future wedding planning businesses, ultimately, these are entrepreneurial projects I’ve tailored for these university students, to cultivate their abilities. Hmph, if they were a group of thirty to forty-year-old experienced professionals, brother would have already led them to do something big. You have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time.”

“Wow.”

Xue Baoshan didn’t know if she truly believed him or was just flattering him. Her beautiful eyes blinked slightly. “Your vision is truly grand.”

Zhou Buqi sighed. “There’s nothing I can do. I’m only eighteen years old, a university student. Even if I have money and ideas, what then? Will those high-level talents in society bow their heads and follow me? Even if some are willing to for the sake of money, how can such people be considered true elites? Rather than that, it’s better for me to cultivate a cohesive and combative team from scratch, with my own hands.”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips, lost in thought, seemingly pondering something.

Zhou Buqi, not yet finished, continued: “Moreover, university students have their advantages. It’s easy to build trust with them; you don’t need to bind everything with contracts like in society. They also have fewer ulterior motives, making it easier for everyone to work together towards a common goal. Once real achievements are made, cohesion will naturally emerge.”

“I understand.” Xue Baoshan’s phoenix-like eyes sparkled, and she smiled sweetly. “Student Zhou, I think you can do it. You’re the most amazing guy I’ve ever met.”

Zhou Buqi looked at her deeply. “Little Sister Bao, I’ve told you my innermost thoughts; don’t spread them around.”

“Why would I?”

Xue Baoshan pouted slightly, showing her displeasure at his lack of trust.

Just then, the subway stopped. The two got off and transferred to Line 1.

There were quite a lot of people, and it was a bit crowded. Zhou Buqi reached out to put his arm around her waist. She didn’t affectedly pull away but accepted it generously, leaning against his shoulder.

She was quite different from most girls.

However, once the crowd thinned, she proactively stepped back a couple of paces, creating distance between them.

“By the way, what are you going to do about Senior Student Liu?” Xue Baoshan sweated easily; even in the cool subway, her face had developed a sheen.

After the transfer, Zhou Buqi found an empty seat, led her over, and let her sit down. He stood beside her and said in a low voice: “Keep him. He’s still useful.”

“Useful for what?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Hmph.”

Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes shot him a sideways glance, letting out a soft, playful huff.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, very curious about the red string on her neck. He asked: “What are you wearing there?”

Xue Baoshan didn’t shyly cover her neckline like some girls. Instead, she unbuttoned a button on her shirt collar generously and pulled out a translucent jade Buddha pendant from her inner clothing.

“Men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha.”

“Quickly put it away. Don’t show off your wealth.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression changed. He quickly pulled up the collar of her white jacket to cover it for her. That single piece of old pit glass-like jadeite would cost at least two to three million.

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips, smiling, and slowly put it away.

…

The development of the milk tea formula had little technical content; for the high-end talents at the institute, it was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

With Manager Liu’s push, the formula had basically taken shape, with only a few details left to refine.

In another three to five days, the basic formula would be ready.

At the same time, Zhou Buqi heard some bittersweet news.

The institute was going to announce it in the newspaper!

This was the first domestic-flavored milk tea chain store on the mainland, a true national brand with significant political implications. After the relevant documents were compiled, they would even be submitted to the municipal committee and national propaganda department, having immense public opinion and positive guidance significance.

This was the huge advantage of starting a business in The Capital.

There would be an irresistible force actively pushing you forward.

In the initial stage, the institute would proactively publicize it in newspapers to showcase their achievements. In the middle and later stages, various departments, TV stations, and newspapers would proactively approach them; this was the positive guidance of policy.

Not a single cent of advertising fees would be needed.

Just think: Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, university students, a milk tea chain store, the first domestic one, competing with Taiwan… every single point had immense publicity value.

Zhou Buqi, however, felt a headache coming on.

He was going to become famous already?

Wasn’t it a bit too early?

People fear fame like pigs fear getting fat!

If they were under the spotlight, even minor flaws would be scrutinized under a magnifying glass.

More importantly, the three milk tea shops at Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Beijing Foreign Studies University had not yet been integrated into a single company. This was because, according to Zhou Buqi’s plan, all three shops would operate under the “Yuanwei Milk Tea” brand, but would register as Individual businesses under different names with the industrial and commercial administration.

This was to obtain certain policy benefits and tax reductions.

If it was announced in the newspaper and they became famous, how could they exploit loopholes?

It seemed he would have to have a good talk with Guo Pengfei when he got back and get the company set up.

Leaving the institute, the two walked to the Forbidden City.

“Have you been to the Forbidden City?” Zhou Buqi asked her.

“Yes, I have. What about you?” Xue Baoshan felt a bit warm, so she took off her white jacket, revealing a high-quality red shirt underneath that beautifully accentuated her figure.

“Let me hold it for you.” Zhou Buqi reached out, very gentlemanly, then asked, “So, do you still want to go?”

“Whatever you decide.”

Xue Baoshan handed him her jacket, in excellent spirits, a joyful smile playing on her lips.

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment. “Then let’s still go. Visiting the gardens with different people brings a different mood.”

Xue Baoshan glanced at him, bit her lip, and softly hummed in affirmation.

They bought tickets, declined a tour guide, and entered the palace.

They crossed the Golden Water Bridge and walked straight towards the Gate of Supreme Harmony.

Xue Baoshan was a bit quiet along the way. After hesitating for a long time, she finally said softly: “Student Zhou, I need to tell you something again.”

“Go ahead.”

“You’re not allowed to use your tricks on me.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and felt a bit wronged. “Who used tricks on you? Little Sister Bao, don’t falsely accuse me!”

Xue Baoshan stopped, staring straight at him, saying nothing.

Zhou Buqi protested: “I’m an upright gentleman! I went to a hotel with a stunning beauty, and we even slept on the same bed, but I didn’t lay a finger on her. Really, I’m touched by my own moral character!”

“But you like to play tricks.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do!” Xue Baoshan retorted, pouting slightly.

“I really don’t!”

Zhou Buqi adamantly denied it.

Xue Baoshan looked at him deeply and said airily: “On the subway, I heard everything. You were trying to trick your teacher. Her surname is Wen, right?”

“Gah?”

Zhou Buqi was stunned and dumbfounded.

Oh My Goodness!

How does this girl know everything?

He made a phone call on the subway, said a few ambiguous words, and even Wen Zhixia, the person involved, didn’t understand what he was getting at, but this outsider did?

“Do you admit it now?” Xue Baoshan’s chin lifted slightly, a hint of smugness in her expression.

Zhou Buqi sighed to the heavens, wiping away imaginary tears. “Little Sister Bao, you are truly as witty as Big Sister Bao, hiding your intelligence and appearing clumsy. I’m impressed.”

Chapter 44: Registering Domain Names

The research institute was eager for publicity for their achievements and wanted to get it reported quickly. This disrupted Zhou Buqi’s overall plan.

There was no other way; he could only accelerate his pace to deal with the changing situation.

That evening, back in his dorm, Zhou Buqi made calls one by one, instructing the ten founding members of the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance to arrive promptly at the Student Activity Center of Beijing University of Science and Technology at 10 AM this Saturday, as there was an important matter to announce.

Then, he called Guo Pengfei, telling him to meet at the Wanxiu Garden Canteen at 8 AM tomorrow, as they had an important task to handle.

After some thought, he sent a text message to Wen Zhixia: “Found a place yet?”

“How could it be that fast!”

It seemed Teacher Wen was also a text message enthusiast; her reply was remarkably quick.

“Do you have a QQ number?”

“XXXXXXXXXX, add this email on MSN.”

Alright, high-class people all used MSN.

Zhou Buqi logged into MSN and quickly connected with Wen Zhixia. Her screen name was JuliaWen. He quickly typed, “When does your current lease expire?”

JuliaWen: “October 1st.”

Zhou Buqi: “Isn’t that soon? Only about ten days left.”

JuliaWen: “Mm.”

Zhou Buqi: “Find one quickly. I need to move out soon.”

JuliaWen: “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Buqi: “The tide of the times cannot be resisted; one can only stride forward.”

JuliaWen: “Are you treating me like a little girl?”

Zhou Buqi: “It’s true. My career is about to take a big leap forward, and I need a good resting environment. The dorm won’t do.”

JuliaWen: “What happened?”

Zhou Buqi: “It’s hard to explain in a few words; you’ll know later. Given their review speed, it should be reported after October 1st.”

JuliaWen: “Reported? What is it?”

Zhou Buqi: “Don’t ask; just hurry up and find a place.”

JuliaWen: “So rushed, where am I supposed to find one? I can’t even find my own place. Don’t you know how sought-after those studio apartments are? You can’t just find one whenever you want.”

Zhou Buqi: “What about others? A two-bedroom, one-living room or three-bedroom, one-living room?”

JuliaWen: “There are plenty of those, but the price is high. What, is Boss Zhou finally willing to spend a lot of money?”

Zhou Buqi: “If worst comes to worst, let’s pick a two-bedroom, one-living room.”

JuliaWen: “Whatever you say, I don’t have money anyway.”

Zhou Buqi: “Alright, let’s do that then. I’ll handle the money; you’re responsible for finding the place. That’s it for now; I’ll call you back later.”

After logging off MSN, Zhou Buqi’s face was filled with excitement.

It seemed Teacher Wen’s guard was really low, much lower than Xue Baoshan’s.

There was a huge opportunity here.

His phone rang; it was an unfamiliar number. After Zhou Buqi answered, a rough male voice spoke.

“Hello? Is this Zhou Buqi?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“It’s your brother Liang!”

“Huh?”

“Liang Fa! We used to play soccer together, forgotten?”

A flood of thoughts instantly surged forth in Zhou Buqi’s mind, and he remembered. He said in surprise, “Brother Liang Fa? How do you have my number?”

The two were high school alumni. Liang Fa was two years older than him, and they often played soccer together in high school.

“Don’t even get me started! You came to Beijing University of Science and Technology and didn’t even contact me?” Liang Fa’s enthusiastic voice carried a hint of complaint.

“You’re also at Beijing University of Science and Technology? My apologies, my apologies, I really didn’t know. I’ve been so busy lately, I’m completely dizzy.” Zhou Buqi laughed heartily.

Meeting an old friend in a foreign land could also be considered a kind of fate.

Liang Fa chuckled, “Alright, you sly dog, don’t give me that. This Friday is the alumni gathering. We’ll meet at 6 PM at the entrance of the Hongbo Garden Canteen. Let’s all get together. No refusing!”

“Ah…”

Zhou Buqi really didn’t want to go.

Liang Fa chuckled, “Didn’t you like the campus belle in high school? She’s coming too!”

“Who?”

“Wu Yu!”

“Oh, for crying out loud!”

“Alright, it’s settled then, you have to come!”

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Buqi smiled bitterly repeatedly.

He was already dizzy from being so busy with his startup; how could he have time for such a boring activity as an alumni gathering?

But there was no choice. In high school, Liang Fa had taken good care of him, so he couldn’t refuse.

He sighed a few times, shook his head, and cleared his thoughts.

With the milk tea recipe being reported in the news, his entrepreneurial pace had to accelerate.

To accelerate, he needed capital.

To be honest, Zhou Buqi had never felt pressured by capital. He was reborn, after all; making money was incredibly easy for him.

After thinking for a while, he picked up a notebook and began writing furiously: “Youku, Tudou, Tmall, 360, Ganji, Meituan, Renren, Xiaonei, Douyu, Weibo, Lashou, Fanfou, WeChat, JD, Douyin, 58.com, Huya, Douban, Suning, Xiaomi, Didi, Toutiao, Pinduoduo, Kuaishou, LeTV, Baihe, Mogujie, PPTV, Qunar, Zhihu, Mango, Qiyiguo, Maoyan, Nuomi…”

After finishing the first page, there was a second page: “Whatsapp, Quora, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Coursera, Reddit, Tumblr, Buzzfeed, Youtube, Hulu, Spotify…”

…

The next day, at the Wanxiu Garden Canteen.

Guo Pengfei was eating breakfast, asking as he ate, “You said you want to register domain names?”

“Yes, do you know how to do it?” Zhou Buqi asked, taking a sip of soy milk.

Guo Pengfei, eating, mumbled, “A piece of cake. Are you building a website?”

“Something like that.”

“Mm, later, just go find Teacher Han at the Network Center. She’s in charge; she maintains and operates our school’s forum.”

“No, we’ll go directly to a service provider,” Zhou Buqi rejected his suggestion.

“Why?” Guo Pengfei was puzzled. “It’s not expensive; the school supports us in setting up personal websites, and there are no intermediary fees.”

Zhou Buqi drained his cup of soy milk, casually wiped his lips with his hand, and said two words: “Large quantity.”

“Large quantity?”

Guo Pengfei paused slightly, pondering his meaning, then his eyes widened. “How many domain names do you want to register?”

“I don’t know how many are duplicates, but at least one or two hundred,” Zhou Buqi said calmly.

“Holy cow!”

Guo Pengfei immediately understood what he meant and blurted out, “You want to become a domain name tycoon?”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “What kind of domain name tycoon am I? At most, I’ll register a few hundred domain names. If I’m lucky, I’ll earn some pocket money. Real domain name tycoons easily hold tens of thousands of domain names; there’s no comparison.”

Guo Pengfei pondered for a moment and said, “If that’s the case, then we’ll have to go to a Telecom network provider. We can handle it there; one or two hundred domain names can be done in a day.”

“Alright! Let’s go right away then!”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand grandly, as if he could already see the bright future ahead.

How bright was the future?

For example, JD.com acquired the domain JD.com for 30 million yuan; Weibo acquired weibo.com for 8 million yuan; Vipshop acquired vip.com for 12 million yuan.

Also, Xiaomi acquired mi.com for 3.6 million US dollars; 360 acquired 360.com for a full 17 million US dollars, setting a world record for domain name transactions at one point.

However, maintaining domain names also cost money.

A .com suffix is an international domain, and the registration fee is about 300 yuan.

A .cn suffix is a domestic domain, and the registration fee is about 100 yuan.

In addition, domain names cannot be bought outright; service fees must be paid annually. International domains cost about 60 yuan per year. If not renewed, the domain name is reclaimed.

At the Telecom network provider, upon checking, it was found that out of the 182 domain names Zhou Buqi provided, 47 had already been registered, including those related to Tudou, Mango, Vipshop, Qiyiguo, Suning, Lashou, Baihe, LeTV, Kaixin001, and others.

That left 135.

The registration fee: 40,000 yuan!

Additionally, even if only one year of service fees was paid, these 135 domain names required a one-time payment of 8,000 yuan.

Including handling fees and other miscellaneous expenses, the total cost would be 50,000 yuan!

Zhou Buqi currently had 45,000 yuan, of which 20,000 yuan was Liu Wenbo’s investment for their partnership, and this amount had to be returned.

Fortunately, Guo Pengfei had some money and temporarily covered the difference.

In the evening, the two finally returned to school and grabbed a quick bite at the canteen.

“I’ll give you the money I owe you in a few days.”

“No worries, no rush.”

“By the way, do you know how to set up the domain names?”

“It’s very simple. Didn’t they give you an address? That’s the login URL for the Telecom provider’s management backend. After you log in with the password they gave you, you’ll see the domain management options. Fill in your IP address there to bind the domain name to the IP address. Then call the FTP service provider, and that’s it.”

Zhou Buqi frowned; he wasn’t a computer science major. He asked, “Then if someone wants my domain name, how do they contact me?”

Guo Pengfei said lightly, “Just create a webpage with your contact information on it. If someone wants to buy it, they’ll contact you.”

“How do I do that?”

“Once the binding is successful, you just upload the webpage source file; it’s very simple.”

Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes and said angrily, “You call that simple? Fine, then I’ll leave this to you! You can use my computer; get these domain names set up for me.”

Guo Pengfei twitched his lips. “Alright, it’s not a difficult task anyway.”

…

After returning to his dorm, Zhou Buqi felt completely drained.

Now he was doomed.

He really had no money left.

If the domain name business couldn’t generate income quickly, it might delay important matters.

It was late September 2004.

Thinking about it, Ganji.com, Douban.com, 58.com, Qunar.com, and 360.com would all be established soon, right?

Come on, come on, hurry up and talk business!

Genuine goods at fair prices, treating everyone equally!

Chapter 45: Unique Business Model

Friday arrived.

Zhou Buqi woke up early and called Chen Dong from Peking University, Ma Pingshan from Beihang University, and Zhen Yu from Central University of Finance and Economics to go to the institute together.

Good news had come out.

The first version of the milk tea recipe was officially released!

The institute notified them to inspect it and look for areas for improvement.

On the subway, Zhou Buqi called home.

There was nothing he could do; his parents only had him as a son, so he had to call them at least every two days, otherwise, it would be too irresponsible.

On the phone, his mother, as always, asked about his well-being, caring for every detail. Suddenly, his Coward father snatched the phone.

“Come on, come on, let me say a few words to that kid.”

“Dad, go ahead.”

“Go, go, go, us father and son are chatting, what are you women interfering for? Get aside!”

Zhou Jianjun grumbled, and Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

After a while, Zhou Jianjun lowered his voice and asked, “Son, how’s it going? How many have you gotten your hands on?”

Zhou Buqi was very ashamed, tightly covering the phone’s earpiece, afraid that others in the same carriage would hear.

This old man, he’s really unreliable day after day.

There was nothing he could do but casually reply, “Uh… there are a few…”

“Why are you so useless?” Zhou Jianjun was very dissatisfied with his son’s ‘skill’, cursing, “You good-for-nothing, don’t say you’re my son when you’re out there!”

Zhou Buqi had a bitter expression.

After cursing for a while, Zhou Jianjun lowered his voice again, “I sent you a package, it’s been mailed to your dorm, pay attention to receiving it.”

“What is it?”

“Good stuff!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake!”

Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes.

Given his Coward father’s character, he knew what he was mailing even if he thought with his butt.

“Dad, really, you don’t need to. I’m an adult, I can handle these things myself.”

“Stop with the damn nonsense! I came from your age, how would I not know what you’re thinking? Don’t just seek temporary pleasure, delay other girls, and delay yourself!”

Oh my god!

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

His Coward father actually cares about people?

The sun rose from the west.

“Alright, alright, I get it.”

“Your health is more important than anything, this is your old man’s experience as someone who’s been there, understand?”

“Mm.”

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Buqi pondered.

Come to think of it, his dad’s last sentence made a lot of sense; health is indeed one’s capital.

Beijing University of Science and Technology has a rule that freshmen have to go for a run on the sports field in the morning. However, Zhou Buqi was very lazy, and his relationship with his counselor was solid, so he had never participated. It seems he should participate more often in the future to exercise.

Passing by Central University of Finance and Economics, they picked up Senior Sister Zhen Yu, and everyone went to the institute together.

Upon arriving at the institute, Manager Liu seemed even more enthusiastic than the previous two times. He privately inquired and found out that the Top Leader of the institute was very satisfied with the milk tea project and had praised Manager Liu a lot.

A promotion was probably in sight.

The initial demand list Zhou Buqi submitted contained over twenty milk tea recipes. Later, after multiple discussions and considering the actual situation of campus milk tea, four basic recipes were finally decided upon: mellow flavor (green tea), sweet flavor (green tea), mellow flavor (black tea), and sweet flavor (black tea).

All milk teas could be made by adding corresponding fruits, colorings, and cream to these four basic recipes.

That’s right, fruit!

In terms of recipe development, Zhou Buqi placed great trust in the institute and adopted most of Manager Liu’s suggestions.

They were professionals, and many of their suggestions were very insightful and groundbreaking.

Currently, the popular milk tea nationwide was pearl milk tea, also known as bubble tea from Taiwan.

The institute completely abandoned “pearls” and instead used fresh fruit as a solid additive. This was a step up in terms of both food safety and milk tea flavor.

The only downside was the texture.

Chewy tapioca pearls were more satisfying to bite, while fruit didn’t offer much chewiness.

But it didn’t matter, Manager Liu said he would solve these problems. This was the Capital Food Research Institute, whose influence radiated across the country, and it had the responsibility to “save” the national food palate.

As the Capital, it had to set an example; this was its political significance.

During the tasting phase, Zhen Yu suggested that the sweet version of green tea wasn’t very appealing, and black tea was more suitable for girls. Chen Dong, on the other hand, said the mellow green tea flavor was more suitable for boys.

Ma Pingshan thought for a moment and said, “We are university students. The biggest difference between school and society is that our spending power is limited, and there’s a greater tendency towards trends. I believe we should minimize the cost of milk tea and make concessions on the selling price.”

Manager Liu strongly agreed, “Well said. The cost of fruit milk tea is definitely higher than pearl milk tea, more than double. I heard you’re not even using those soft plastic cups? Then the cost will be even greater. To be competitive, you must lower costs.”

Ma Pingshan said, “Improving efficiency is the best way to lower costs. Streamlining and specialization are often guarantees of high efficiency. Therefore, I think we should only choose two basic recipes: the mellow green tea version and the sweet black tea version, targeting users of different genders.”

Chen Dong pondered, “Hmm, fewer recipes will reduce training time, decrease the difficulty of work for staff, and be more conducive to assembly-line operations. This will help with the long-term promotion of our chain stores.”

Zhen Yu tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “This is a completely different business model from existing milk tea shops. It’s similar to Costco supermarkets in America. Currently, large supermarkets have a dazzling array of items and complete categories, which creates great difficulty for customers in choosing, increases their shopping time, and reduces the flow of people per unit of time in the supermarket. In contrast, Costco is different. For each product, they only select a few classic best-sellers. When customers go there, they don’t have much room for selection; they just grab the goods and leave. This greatly improves customers’ purchasing efficiency, saves time, and also increases the flow of people per unit of time in the supermarket, preventing overcrowding.”

Chen Dong’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, “Yes, we should look for a different business model. These past few days, I visited dozens of milk tea shops in Sanlitun, and my biggest impression was that there are too many types of milk tea, with all sorts of flavors. It’s simply difficult to choose.”

Ma Pingshan said, “The off-season is fine, but during peak season, university milk tea shops will definitely have long queues. If they have difficulty choosing, and everyone has to think for a long time when buying milk tea, this will severely reduce efficiency. If they have no room for choice and can only grab their order and leave when it’s their turn, it will undoubtedly greatly improve efficiency.”

These university students became more and more engrossed in their discussion.

Zhen Yu softly said, “It could even be like this: when there are too many people queuing, we can make the drinks first and take orders afterward. We could truly achieve assembly-line production for milk tea, just like boxed meals. Students wouldn’t need to wait; they could pay and get their milk tea, all within a few seconds.”

Ma Pingshan clapped his hands, “That’s a great idea! Shopping is supposed to be a good mood, but queuing often wears that mood away. If we can effectively reduce everyone’s queuing time, it will increase their enthusiasm for buying, which in turn will enhance our brand image.”

Chen Dong said with deep agreement, “That’s indeed the truth. I saw it firsthand in Sanlitun. Some milk tea shops are very popular, with many people queuing. However, some people get annoyed after queuing for a long time and just leave without buying. If we can solve this problem, it will greatly increase the recognition of Yuanwei milk tea.”

Zhen Yu said, “Besides cost control and staff efficiency, we also need to strengthen supply chain management and create good employee training and promotion mechanisms. If these three points are done well, the chain expansion of milk tea shops will be unimpeded.”

Manager Liu of the institute was stunned.

Are they really university students?

Are university students nowadays all this high-level?

This must be a combination of market research and business theory, right?

What business model, what Costco, what efficiency, what assembly-line production, what supply chain management…

Write it down, quickly write it down!

All useful!

Manager Liu keenly grasped something and secretly committed it to memory.

“I’m just worried that with a single flavor, people will get tired of it,” Ma Pingshan voiced his concern.

Zhou Buqi was very satisfied, and chuckled, “Brother Ma, you’re overthinking this. What we see now are just the basic recipes. All milk tea recipes are made by adding different flavored ingredients based on these basic recipes. We can do this: have the milk tea shop connect with fruit suppliers, and offer one flavor per day. If we get mangoes today, we only sell mango flavor; if we get nata de coco tomorrow, we only sell nata de coco flavor; the day after tomorrow, maybe it’s pineapple, and we can switch to pineapple flavor. Based on the different fruits, our milk tea shop will actually offer different flavors every day, providing a fresh experience daily.”

“A fresh experience daily?”

Everyone’s eyes lit up, finding the phrase brilliant.

Zhen Yu said in surprise, “I think this phrase could be printed on a sign as Yuanwei milk tea’s main slogan.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “One of them, perhaps. There are still many marketing strategies.”

Chen Dong glanced at him, his expression hesitant, and whispered, “Fruit supply is a problem. As far as I know, the gross profit for retail fruit in fruit stores can reach at least 60% to 70%. If we buy directly from fruit stores, the cost will be too high. Senior Sister Zhen is right, supply chain management is a core issue.”

Zhou Buqi pondered for a moment, “It’s fine, I’ll solve the supply chain problem.”

Actually, he wanted to assign this task to Liu Wenbo.

Unfortunately, after the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident, Liu Wenbo completely lost his trust. And these other university students lacked sufficient social experience. There was no other way, he could only handle it himself.

Manager Liu paused, then burst out laughing, patting Zhou Buqi’s shoulder, “I see it now, Little Zhou, you’re a person who does great things, responsible and courageous, good! How about this, in three days at the latest, I, your brother, will give you a gift to help you solve the problem!”

“What gift?”

“It’s a secret for now, haha.”

Chapter 46: I’m Not a Gold Digger

The research institute also had a Logistics Office. Manager Liu called someone over to calculate the cost for everyone.

For a regular cup of pearl milk tea—

A soft plastic cup cost five fen. A high-grade hard plastic cup cost one mao. Starbucks-style paper cups were more expensive, costing between one mao five fen and two mao.

Finished black pearls were purchased in large bags. One bag weighed 1 kg and cost two yuan. Based on the standard of adding 50g of black pearls per cup of milk tea, one large bag could make twenty cups of milk tea. The cost per cup was about one mao.

Non-dairy creamer was the main source of the milky flavor in milk tea. A large bag of this stuff weighed 20 kg and cost around 220 yuan. At eleven yuan per 1 kg of non-dairy creamer, it could be mixed into at least one hundred cups of milk tea. This brought the non-dairy creamer cost per cup to one mao one fen.

As for tea leaves, 500g of black tea cost about twelve yuan. According to the ingredient ratio provided by the research institute, this could make 25 liters of black tea. Roughly estimated, it could make one hundred cups of milk tea, with a cost of one mao two fen per cup.

As for other additives like flavorings, sweeteners, fruit glucose syrup, cyclamate, and edible salt, their usage was minimal and could be ignored.

Roughly calculated, the raw material cost for a typical Taiwanese-style pearl milk tea on the market was only about four mao.

This was much lower than Zhou Buqi had estimated.

Yet, the selling price was at least four yuan, or even six yuan, eight yuan, or over ten yuan.

As for Yuanwei milk tea’s main product, fresh fruit milk tea, besides non-dairy creamer, tea leaves, and additives, the biggest expenses were the high-grade hard plastic cups and the fruit.

That’s right, after careful consideration, Zhou Buqi rejected Xue Baoshan’s suggestion of using paper cups like Starbucks, opting for high-quality hard plastic cups instead.

Because they were transparent.

This was fresh fruit milk tea, made with real, fresh fruit. If it were hidden by a paper cup, wouldn’t it be like wearing fine clothes at night?

Transparent cups were a must, so everyone could see the actual fruit pulp inside.

This significantly increased the cost of the milk tea.

Roughly estimated, the cost of a cup of fresh fruit milk tea would be over one yuan two mao.

Fortunately, summer was often the peak season for milk tea sales, and also the peak season for long-distance transport and fruit sales, so prices were very low. In summer, the cost could be pressed down to under one yuan.

This required Zhou Buqi to be strong enough in fruit supply chain management, with ample operational space.

“Sigh, I never thought such a small milk tea shop would be so complicated to run.”

On the way back, Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but sigh repeatedly.

Physical businesses were truly difficult to manage!

…

In the evening, Zhou Buqi also had to attend the University of Science and Technology’s Jilin Province alumni gathering.

He really didn’t want to go; he was exhausted all day.

However, brother Liang Fa had called several times, incredibly enthusiastic, sincerely inviting him.

There was no choice; Zhou Buqi could only drag his tired body there.

Fortunately, he ran into Guo Pengfei on the way and received good news: all issues related to the domain name had been completely resolved. The domain page now displayed his MSN Messenger account and MSN Messenger email, as well as his school, department, and name for verification.

Arriving in front of the Wanxiu Garden Canteen, he heard someone calling his name from afar.

“Zhou Buqi! Over here! Come here! Come here!”

He looked up, and wasn’t it Liang Fa, who he often played football with in high school?

Oh, wow!

He’d gotten fatter after going to university.

“Brother Liang!” Zhou Buqi walked over with a laugh.

“You brat, that’s not cool. You came to Beijing University of Science and Technology and didn’t even say anything? If I hadn’t heard you handed out Campus Card代理 flyers, I wouldn’t have known you were here!” Liang Fa had the typical personality of Northeasterners. He gave Zhou Buqi a heavy punch on the shoulder, very boisterously.

Zhou Buqi rubbed his shoulder and apologized, “I didn’t know either.” Then he lowered his voice, looking extremely unwilling, “Brother Liang, this alumni gathering isn’t very interesting. How about I don’t go? We can hang out just the two of us another day?”

“No, absolutely not!”

Liang Fa shook his head repeatedly, “Little brother, you have to give me this face. Your Brother Liang just became vice-president. If you don’t come to my first recruitment, wouldn’t that be letting me down badly?”

“Vice-president?” Zhou Buqi was a little surprised.

Liang Fa laughed heartily, “Vice-president of the alumni gathering.”

Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes.

What was the point of a broken alumni gathering having a president and vice-president?

Suddenly, Liang Fa’s expression changed. He put a hand on Zhou Buqi’s shoulder and pointed to his front right, “Look who that is?!”

Zhou Buqi looked, a little puzzled, “It’s Wu Yu, what about her?”

“Huh?”

Liang Fa was greatly astonished, staring at him blankly, “Is that all your reaction? Not surprised at all? She’s our high school’s campus belle!”

“So what if she’s the campus belle?” Zhou Buqi pouted, looking very dismissive.

Liang Fa asked, confused, “I remember when we used to play football, you said several times that you really liked her. Why is there no movement now that you’re in university? Let me tell you, if you’re serious, you better hurry up, or she won’t be available anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“Someone’s pursuing her!”

“Isn’t that normal? She’s so pretty; she must have had many admirers since she was little.”

“This time is different.”

“Oh?”

Liang Fa lowered his voice and whispered, “The one pursuing her this time is the grandson of our province’s richest man.”

Zhou Buqi looked interested, “The one who runs the football team?”

Liang Fa retorted, “What football team? His family’s main business is pharmaceuticals; the football team is just a sponsorship… Don’t get sidetracked. Let me tell you, that guy is incredible now. He’s paving the way with money and is already the president of our alumni gathering.”

“Heh.”

Zhou Buqi smiled indifferently.

He knew that second-generation rich kid. They went to different high schools but were middle school classmates. His name was Li Hongrui, nicknamed Li Erdan, and he had some capability. However, this kind of second-generation rich kid only had influence back home; in The Capital, he was nothing.

Wu Yu was dressed quite conservatively today, in jeans paired with a white T-shirt and a lake-green thin jacket. She looked exceptionally clear and lovely, like a narcissus in a lake, graceful and charming.

She saw Zhou Buqi, and her beautiful eyes flashed. She wanted to walk over quickly but was suddenly stopped. “Wu Yu, you look really beautiful today.”

It was Li Hongrui, the third-year undergraduate and president of the alumni gathering.

“Thank you,” Wu Yu replied politely.

Li Hongrui smiled, “Later, we’re going to a restaurant on Zhichun Road. Why don’t you come with me? We can take a taxi directly and order the dishes beforehand.”

Wu Yu tucked her hair behind her ear and subtly refused, “Senior Li, I don’t know how to order dishes. You should ask someone else. I’ll just take the bus.”

“It’s fine…”

“No, really, Senior Li. I saw a high school classmate. I’m going to say hello.”

With that, Wu Yu braced herself and walked towards Zhou Buqi.

Li Hongrui watched her retreating figure, his expression unnatural.

Liang Fa saw Wu Yu approaching and waved with a smile, “Campus Belle Wu, long time no see.”

Wu Yu was much more familiar with him and giggled, “Brother Liang Fa, you’ve gotten fat again. Can you still play football like this?”

Liang Fa’s face tightened, and he snorted, “Brother plays football with footwork. Don’t you know what people call me? Beijing University of Science and Technology’s Gao Zhongxun!”

Wu Yu covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Her watery eyes looked at Zhou Buqi, only to see him looking somewhere else, appearing indifferent. She became a little unhappy and pouted slightly.

Liang Fa was stunned, feeling something was off.

Soon, Wu Yu was called away by others.

The Normal School Affiliated High School was a key provincial high school, and there were many alumni, over twenty of them, and he heard many more hadn’t arrived.

When most people had arrived, Li Hongrui called for everyone to depart.

Wu Yu again rejected his invitation and stayed with a group of girls.

However, while waiting for the bus, she secretly came up to Zhou Buqi and whispered, “How about we take a taxi? I don’t like taking the bus; it has a strange smell.”

Zhou Buqi glared at her and scolded, “You don’t have the life of a princess, but you have all the airs of one.”

Wu Yu pouted, sulking and not speaking.

A moment later, the bus arrived. She followed closely beside Zhou Buqi but didn’t get a seat.

After the bus started, it swayed violently. Wu Yu said pitifully, “Can you hold me? I can’t stand steadily.”

“So much trouble!”

Zhou Buqi grunted impatiently, reached out, and put his arm around her slender waist. Her waist was very thin and soft, and she smelled fragrant.

Wu Yu quietly leaned into his embrace and whispered, “What you asked me to do, there’s a lead.”

“What thing?”

“That thing you asked me to do.”

“Joke! With your silly demeanor, would I ask you for a favor?”

“You!”

Wu Yu stomped her foot in anger, her face flushed red, “Didn’t you ask me to contact Senior Sister Shi?”

“Hmm? Oh…”

Only then did Zhou Buqi suddenly remember.

It seemed there was such a thing. He asked Wu Yu for help to get close to her Senior Sister, someone named Shi, who he heard was very beautiful and a campus belle.

“What was her name again?”

“Shi Jinglin.”

Wu Yu gritted her teeth in anger. What kind of person was this? Too much!

Zhou Buqi slapped his forehead, “Right, that’s the person. How’s it going? Is it done?”

Wu Yu whispered, “I applied for a male MSN Messenger account, added her as a friend, and we’ve been chatting quite well.”

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes lit up.

This girl had gotten smarter? She was even playing online dating?

And cross-dressing, no less.

Not bad, progress!

Zhou Buqi was quite satisfied and nodded, “Alright, handle this well. By the way, what’s with that Li Erdan?”

“You mean Li Hongrui? He’s been pursuing me since my first year.”

“And you’re not tempted?”

“No.”

“Don’t lie. He’s the richest man in the whole province, richer than my family.”

Wu Yu snorted, “So what if he’s rich? I’m not a gold digger.”

“Really?” Zhou Buqi looked at her with disdain, his face full of disbelief. “Alright then. I was thinking of buying you a phone sometime to make it easier to contact you, but I didn’t expect you…”

“I want it! I want it!”

Before he could finish, Wu Yu eagerly interrupted, so happy she almost jumped, her cheeks flushed.

Zhou Buqi pouted, scoffing, “Aren’t you not a gold digger?”

“I’m not a gold digger.”

“Then why do you want it?”

“I have principles; I won’t accept random gifts. But yours… yours is payment! Payment for helping you pursue Senior Sister Shi!” Wu Yu said, beaming.

Zhou Buqi snorted dismissively, “Alright, wait until I earn some money then.”

Chapter 47: Confession

The location was the Starlight Revolving Restaurant.

The scene was quite grand.

At the staircase entrance on the second floor, a banner hung: “Warmly Welcome Jilin Province Freshmen to the Beijing University of Science and Technology Alumni Gathering!”

The banner was a bit old.

With that thought, Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but chuckle.

It seemed this banner wasn’t new; who knew how many years it had been hung, brought out every year when new students enrolled.

After going upstairs, Li Hongrui had already reserved a large private room with three big tables, each with a majestic bottle of Wuliangye in the center.

“Everyone’s here, right? Then take a seat… How about this, I’ll assign seats for everyone…”

Before Li Hongrui could finish, Zhou Buqi interrupted him, clearly annoyed: “President Li, there are three tables here, no need to arrange, there’s more than enough space for everyone to sit wherever they like. Alright, everyone, just take any seat!”

After speaking, he sat down at a nearby table.

Wu Yu quickly followed him.

Vice President Liang Fa also smiled: “Then just sit wherever you like, everyone, make yourselves comfortable.”

He also went and sat next to Zhou Buqi.

Li Hongrui was a Rich second-generation, very generous with his spending, so no one needed to pay when eating with him. No one would contend with him for the main seat at the central table.

However, the alumni all knew his identity and eagerly rushed to sit at the central table, hoping to get closer to President Li.

Li Hongrui’s face was somewhat distorted. He paused, then smiled: “Right, right, right, everyone just sit wherever you like. Since everyone likes to sit in the middle so much, I’ll go to the side then.”

After speaking, he walked towards Wu Yu’s table.

Unfortunately, Wu Yu’s right side was Zhou Buqi, and on her left, several girls were seated in a row, all high school classmates, chatting enthusiastically and looking very happy.

“Zhou Second Brother, didn’t you apply to Jilin University? How did you end up in Yanjing?” Li Hongrui felt resentful inside, somewhat jealous of Zhou Buqi sitting next to Wu Yu.

Zhou Buqi, not to be outdone, retorted: “If even you, Li Erdan, can come, why can’t I?”

Li Hongrui’s face darkened, and he sneered: “I heard you were selling phone cards a while ago? Made a fortune, did you? Must have been several hundred, right?”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm: “Earning a living with my own hands is always more enjoyable than being a parasite.”

“Bang!”

Li Hongrui slammed the table heavily: “Zhou Second Brother, what the hell do you mean by that?”

Zhou Buqi glared at him coldly: “Want to fight? This is The Capital, it’s not your place to act wild!”

Seeing the situation turn sour, others quickly intervened to mediate.

At this point, Zhou Buqi’s identity also spread.

Turns out he was another Rich second-generation!

No wonder their tempers were so volatile.

Li Hongrui, as the president, also knew that such an occasion shouldn’t involve arguing. Mainly, seeing Wu Yu sitting obediently beside Zhou Buqi made him feel extremely stifled. He took a deep breath, glaring at him coldly: “Fine, you’ve got guts!”

Zhou Buqi said: “All men have guts. What? Are you a eunuch?”

“Haha!”

Some people, not quite grasping the situation, burst out laughing. Laughter is contagious, and soon, the private room erupted in laughter.

Li Hongrui’s face flushed red. He pointed a finger at Zhou Buqi, but couldn’t utter a single word.

This feud was now cemented.

Mainly, the two had been at odds since junior high, often fighting. Later, they went to different high schools, and there was peace for a few years. Unexpectedly, they met again in college; they were truly enemies reunited.

Li Hongrui opened a bottle of purified water, drank a few sips, and then, as if by magic, a smile appeared on his face. He announced loudly: “Alright, let’s officially begin now. First, I’ll introduce myself. My name is Li Hongrui, a third-year undergraduate student from the School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, and also the president of our alumni gathering. Hehe, if anyone encounters any trouble at school, you can always come to me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, many female students started cheering and hooting, and the atmosphere quickly became lively.

Li Hongrui was accustomed to such scenes. He smiled slightly: “First, on behalf of the alumni gathering, I want to welcome the new students! From now on, we are a family living in Yanjing, and we should love and care for each other.”

Then, he announced that there would be two activities tonight: first, dinner, and then going to the KTV next door to sing.

He would cover all expenses.

His generous gesture naturally drew a round of applause from everyone.

While he was speaking eloquently on his side, on the other side, Zhou Buqi had already opened the Wuliangye and was drinking with Brother Liang Fa.

They drank and chatted, reminiscing about their high school days playing football, lost in memories.

“Alright, one drink is enough, too much isn’t good.”

Wu Yu saw that after they had drunk about 100g, they were about to continue, so she quickly took the bottle and gently advised them.

Zhou Buqi glared, scolding: “Men are drinking, what are you, a woman, meddling for? Fill it up for me!”

Wu Yu pouted, feeling wronged, but helpless. With a puckered mouth, she went to pour him wine.

“Are you stupid? Don’t you know who to pour for first?”

For some reason, ever since that incident at the hotel, Zhou Buqi would get especially annoyed whenever he saw her looking foolish. Didn’t she know to pour for the elder first?

Wu Yu was used to being scolded, probably immune to it by now. She even playfully stuck out her tongue and said with a giggle: “Oops, I forgot. Brother Liang, let me fill yours first.”

Liang Fa was inwardly shaken!

Holy crap!

What was going on?

How was Wu Yu acting like a timid little wife in front of Zhou Buqi?

A little wife who was being bullied, no less!

That little bastard Zhou Buqi, really! Such a docile and beautiful wife, and he doesn’t cherish her, but curses her right to her face? Does he have no compassion for the fairer sex?

The two continued to drink.

Zhou Buqi held his liquor well, but after one cup, Liang Fa’s tongue started to get a bit thick.

Li Hongrui, watching this scene from the opposite table, was absolutely furious.

After thinking for a long time, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, saying with a smile: “Wu Yu, don’t be shy, eat some food, hehe. If you like anything, just call the waiter and order, don’t be polite at all.”

Wu Yu looked up, smiled sweetly, “Thank you, Senior Li, but I’m already full.”

Then, the nearby Zhou Buqi pulled out an unfinished pack of Furongwang cigarettes from his pocket and slapped it onto the table. He pulled out a cigarette and offered it to Liang Fa, but he didn’t smoke.

Zhou Buqi then put one in his own mouth, naturally pointing to the lighter with his finger.

Wu Yu immediately understood, picked up the lighter, cupped the flame with both hands, and eagerly leaned forward to light his cigarette.

He took a deep drag, and purple smoke curled upwards.

Li Hongrui felt a mouthful of old blood stuck in his throat, suffocating him. His eyes were bloodshot, as if on fire, and he said furiously: “Zhou Second Brother, this is a public place, and you’re just smoking freely? There are female students here, and other people! Do you have no basic manners at all?”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him, then stood up directly: “Alright then, I’ll be leaving first. You all can take your time and enjoy yourselves.”

This kind of alumni gathering was completely meaningless.

These university students, who knew who they learned from, had no integrity at all. Throughout the meal, they kept toasting Li Hongrui, saying a bunch of flattering words.

Was this even an alumni gathering anymore?

It was just a university student version of a networking banquet.

He had long wanted to leave.

Since Li Erdan had made trouble, he might as well take advantage of the situation and leave directly.

When Zhou Buqi wanted to leave, Wu Yu immediately stood up as well, apologizing to everyone: “He’s had too much to drink, please don’t mind him. You all continue to eat and enjoy yourselves, I’ll take him back to school.”

Liang Fa had originally intended to leave with Zhou Buqi, but seeing Wu Yu stand up, he stayed put.

It wouldn’t be good to be a third wheel.

Who knew if they were going back to school or to a hotel?

Li Hongrui instantly grew anxious, not expecting Zhou Buqi to be so disrespectful as to just walk out and overturn the table.

It was bad enough that he left, but he even took Wu Yu with him.

“Wu Yu, you can’t leave!”

Li Hongrui suddenly stood up and shouted at her.

Wu Yu turned back blankly, looking at him strangely.

Li Hongrui gave a light cough, feeling a bit awkward: “Um… at the KTV, I prepared a little surprise for you. Want to come check it out later?”

There were flowers all over the floor, candles, and a large bouquet of roses.

He had planned to seize this opportunity, with so many alumni as witnesses and cheering him on, to win Wu Yu over in one fell swoop.

He hadn’t expected this girl to be so bewitched by that jerk Zhou Buqi.

“No need, thank you.” Wu Yu shook her head indifferently.

Zhou Buqi sneered sarcastically, glancing at him disdainfully. He grabbed Wu Yu’s slender hand and said domineeringly: “Let’s go!”

“Mm.”

Holding hands in front of so many people, Wu Yu was a little shy, her face flushed red, and she lowered her head, her voice sounding as if it came from her nose.

Then, no matter how Li Hongrui roared behind them, the two walked out of the restaurant with consistent, firm steps.

The night wind was cool.

A gentle breeze blew, exceptionally refreshing.

Especially Wu Yu, whose hand was tightly held by his large one, felt sweet inside. There was shyness, but also joy; this feeling was really good.

“Let’s walk.”

“Mm.”

“You did well tonight.”

“Mm.”

“Besides ‘mm,’ what else can you say?” Zhou Buqi wasn’t very satisfied with her reaction.

Wu Yu pouted, puffing out her cheeks as she looked at him.

I’m just shy inside and don’t know what to say, why don’t you understand anything?

Straight man?

Unromantic, iron-willed straight men? Titanium alloy straight men? Adamantium alloy straight men, with the same properties as Wolverine’s claws?

“Are you mute?” Zhou Buqi glared at her irritably.

Wu Yu pouted: “Zhou Buqi, I… I…”

“What is it?”

“I like you.”

“What?”

“I said, I like you!”

Wu Yu couldn’t take it anymore. She blocked his path, looked straight into his eyes, and shouted loudly, her voice echoing down the entire night street.

Zhou Buqi was stunned for a moment, then said something very annoying: “What? Trying to cling to me?”

Wu Yu’s eyes welled up, and she was so infuriated she burst into tears.

“Why are you crying, for crying out loud? I didn’t say I didn’t want you.” Zhou Buqi was a little annoyed.

“Hmm?” Wu Yu’s tears stopped abruptly, her beautiful eyes blinking gently, still with a few crystal-clear teardrops, like crystals under the moonlight. “You like me?”

“Nonsense! You’re so beautiful, who wouldn’t like you?” Zhou Buqi said irritably.

Wu Yu pursed her lips, unable to hold back, and a beautiful arc appeared at the corner of her mouth. The misunderstanding in her heart melted away, and she was extremely happy.

“Let’s go, you’re crying like a blubbering mess.”

Zhou Buqi reached out and roughly wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

Honestly, her skin was really good, very delicate and smooth.

Chapter 48: A Good Dog Doesn’t Block the Path

Wu Yu intimately held onto Zhou Buqi’s arm, warmly snuggling by his side as they walked down the street in West Wudaokou, her heart filled with sweetness.

The dim yellow streetlights, the long street, the bustling cars, and the quiet buildings all seemed to bear witness to their love.

Unfortunately, that fellow had no romantic flair and always ruined the mood.

“It’s a bit cold.”

“Mm.”

“Zhou Buqi?”

“Hm?”

“I’m a bit cold, you know.”

“Mm.”

Zhou Buqi seemed to not understand at all.

Wu Yu was extremely annoyed and pouted, “Other people’s boyfriends would take off their jackets and give them to their girlfriends to wear at a time like this!”

Zhou Buqi retorted angrily, “What kind of joke is that? If I take it off, won’t I be cold?”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu was instantly dumbfounded. Was there really such a man in this world?

Zhou Buqi scoffed, “Who told you not to wear more when you came out? And you’re asking me for my clothes? Am I made of iron?”

Wu Yu was both exasperated and amused. She thought to herself, she was a beauty with a captivating face, three parts more beautiful than even TV stars, with countless admirers around her, so how did she end up with such an ultimate scumbag?

“It’s still quite far from school here.”

Helpless, Wu Yu continued to act coquettishly.

“It’s fine, we’ll get a taxi up ahead in a bit,” Zhou Buqi said indifferently. Suddenly realizing something, he turned to look at her, “Are you hinting at something?”

Yes, yes, I’m hinting for you to give me your jacket to wear!

Wu Yu’s heart blossomed with joy, thinking he was finally willing to be gentle.

Who knew he had completely misunderstood.

“Going out to a hotel room at this hour isn’t impossible. The timing, location, and circumstances are all right,” Zhou Buqi mused.

Huh? A hotel room?

Wu Yu froze, her face instantly flushed, her body tensing up, extremely nervous.

No, no! You misunderstood!

My hint wasn’t about that!

Zhou Buqi stared at her intently, “You’re not messing with me this time, are you?”

Wu Yu’s eyes welled up with tears, speechless.

How was she supposed to explain this?

Fortunately, after a moment of silence, Zhou Buqi sighed and shook his head, “Forget it, let’s talk about it later. I’ll give you some time to calm down and get over your mental hurdle, so you don’t cry and be annoying if we do get a room.”

Wu Yu let out a long sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.

It seemed this idiotic straight man was quite caring after all.

The topic was thus dropped.

After strolling for a while longer, Wu Yu softly whispered, “I won’t contact Senior Sister Shi anymore.”

“Hm? Why?” Zhou Buqi frowned.

“Huh?”

Wu Yu froze, stopping in her tracks, “Aren’t you going to be in a relationship with me?”

“Is there a conflict?” Zhou Buqi felt bewildered, his eyes wide. “You don’t think I’d tie myself down to just one small sapling like you, do you?”

“What?”

Wu Yu was stunned. She let go of his arm and stomped her foot in anger.

What did he mean by that?

Had she run into a Wei Xiaobao?

Was his scumbag nature no longer hidden?

Zhou Buqi naturally wasn’t foolish. Knowing this topic shouldn’t be discussed further, he waved his hand and scoffed, “My old Zhou family has been single-line for three generations. My family is waiting for me to expand the family tree. If my old man knew I gave up a whole forest for one sapling, he’d break my legs!”

Wu Yu’s attention was indeed caught. She asked curiously, “Don’t you have an elder uncle? And an older brother? How is it single-line for three generations then?”

Zhou Buqi sneered, “Those two aren’t even considered human, so how can they be considered part of the Zhou family?”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu was startled and shivered.

What kind of deep-seated hatred could make someone say such vicious things about their closest relatives?

Was this the tragedy of a wealthy family?

“The Zhou family… Heh, it’s just outwardly glamorous, a blaze of glory, that’s all.” Zhou Buqi let out a long sigh, revealing a sense of decline that didn’t match his age.

Wu Yu reached out and hugged his waist, snuggling into his embrace, looking up at him, “Can you tell me?”

“There’s nothing I can’t say.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t hide anything and briefly explained the internal power struggles within his family.

His elder uncle was cunning and good at scheming, while his useless father’s mind was entirely on women, neglecting proper work day after day. It was fine when his grandfather was alive, as he could keep them in check. If he were gone, it would be a bloodbath.

Wu Yu’s face turned pale upon hearing this. She hadn’t expected the inner workings of such a wealthy family to be so treacherous, almost no different from what was written in Qiong Yao novels.

“So you came to Yanjing for school and to start a business because you want to escape your family’s influence? You’re fighting for your future?”

“That’s right.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, his expression cold, “If you don’t fight, you still have loving parents, relatives, and friends. I don’t. If I don’t fight, then in the future… it will truly be a dead end.”

In his previous life, he didn’t die, but his father died, his mother went back to their hometown to set up a street stall, and Aunt Liu remarried with his younger sister… That kind of ending was worse than death.

Wu Yu suddenly felt a pang of heartache, her maternal instincts overflowing. She hugged him tightly, feeling that the big boy’s inner fragility was truly pitiable, not at all like the strong, unyielding exterior he presented.

Zhou Buqi gently embraced her and suddenly asked, “Do you still have your first kiss?”

“Yes, I do.”

Wu Yu’s heart trembled slightly, filled with endless shyness.

“Not lying?”

“No!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

Zhou Buqi nodded in satisfaction, “Alright then, let’s find a place and kiss.”

“Mm.”

Wu Yu’s heart pounded like a startled deer, her maiden’s heart racing. This wasn’t nervousness anymore, but anticipation.

“Let’s go over there.”

She reached out, pointing to a large building ahead that blocked the light, making the area very dark.

“It’s pitch black, what would we do there?”

Zhou Buqi flatly rejected her suggestion, then pulled her to stand under a streetlamp.

This was the brightest spot on the entire street.

From afar, under the dim yellow light, two extremely long, graceful, and gentle silhouettes were cast. The softness of the light and the charm of the shadows converged and intertwined, radiating a tender glow of affection.

…

Weekend.

Major universities were actively organizing their Student Unions and student clubs for new member recruitment.

The Student Union was more sophisticated, generally recruiting new members inside the academic buildings.

Student clubs were more low-key, usually setting up stalls outside. There were many types: rollerblading clubs, dance clubs, chess clubs, Sanda clubs, poetry clubs, girls’ clubs, online forum clubs, and so on.

On the Beijing University of Science and Technology campus, the main roads were almost entirely filled with tables and chairs. Some even brought out computers and set up sound systems.

The entrepreneurial club that Zhou Buqi had entrusted Guo Pengfei to establish was naturally among them.

He just didn’t know where it was set up.

After walking around half the campus, Zhou Buqi finally saw the banner for “Yuanwei Entrepreneurial Club.”

Unlike the deserted fronts of other clubs, the entrepreneurial club had a long queue, at least twenty people.

It seemed Guo Pengfei had done a good job with the promotion.

By joining the entrepreneurial club, one could start a business with the club, thereby accumulating rich social practical experience. Students from less fortunate family backgrounds could also work part-time at the Yuanwei milk tea shop to earn money.

It seemed there were quite a lot of ambitious university students.

“Oh! Isn’t this Second Brother Zhou!”

Suddenly, a noisy voice came from beside him.

In the entire Beijing University of Science and Technology, only one person dared to address Zhou Buqi like that.

Sure enough, he turned his head and saw Li Hongrui’s punchable face.

Zhou Buqi’s expression was indifferent, “Li Erdan, get lost!”

Li Hongrui sneered, mocking, “What? Are you angry from shame? Cursing? Let me tell you, others might not know about the Zhou family’s situation, but I know a thing or two. What do you have to fight me with?”

Only then did Zhou Buqi remember that Li Hongrui and Zhou Bubi were on good terms.

It was precisely because of this that the two of them had gotten into many fights in junior high.

“Fight you?” Zhou Buqi seemed to have heard a joke, “Are you even worthy?”

Li Hongrui pouted, disdainfully saying, “Second Brother Zhou, don’t be so stubborn. You know how much weight you carry in the Zhou family. What, are you short on money? Want to join the entrepreneurial club and work part-time at the milk tea shop?”

“None of your business.”

“Whether it’s my business or not, that’s not for you to say!”

Li Hongrui sneered, then shouted towards the entrepreneurial club, pointing at Zhou Buqi, “Old Wang! Wang Fulong! Remember, this kid can’t be recruited!”

The student named Wang Fulong glanced over a few times and made a gesture, indicating he understood.

Zhou Buqi frowned, feeling a bit angry.

Guo Pengfei had mentioned that he had recruited three vice-presidents for the entrepreneurial club, and one of them was named Wang Fulong.

He hadn’t expected him to use personal connections to influence the fairness of the entrepreneurial club’s recruitment.

Seeing Zhou Buqi’s displeasure, Li Hongrui thought he had hit a sore spot and said smugly, “How about it? Second Brother Zhou, convinced yet? If you want to join the entrepreneurial club, you can. It’s just a word from me. But, I have one condition.”

“What condition?” Zhou Buqi was very cold.

“Stay away from Wu Yu!” Li Hongrui glared viciously. “Damn it! You poor bastard, do you even deserve to touch her? If you’re smart, I’ll give her to you after I’m tired of her! You won’t lose out by taking my leftovers!”

Zhou Buqi found him ridiculous, too lazy to even get angry. He shook his head, took out his phone, and dialed a number: “That Wang Fulong is a vice-president, right? Yes, he’s not suitable, fire him for me. Alright, that’s it.”

Li Hongrui was ignored, feeling indignant. Seeing Zhou Buqi make a call and say a bunch of inexplicable things, he almost burst out laughing. “Second Brother Zhou, you’re really making a fool of yourself! ‘Fire him’? Who do you think you are? If you were at Jilin University, you might be someone, but this is The Capital! You’re nothing!”

“Oh? Zhou Buqi? What are you doing here?”

At that moment, a female voice suddenly came.

He turned to look and saw it was none other than Senior Sister Xu Jianing from the University Student Union.

Zhou Buqi no longer bothered with that pest and instead smiled, “Senior Sister Xu? What are you doing here?”

Xu Jianing’s chin was slightly raised, a hint of pride in her voice. “I’m now the Vice-Chairperson of the University Student Union. New official taking office, so I came to inspect. This entrepreneurial club was started by Guo Pengfei, and it’s quite popular.”

“Got a promotion? Congratulations,” Zhou Buqi winked.

Xu Jianing laughed heartily and asked curiously, “What are you doing here?”

Li Hongrui suddenly approached at this moment, his face fawning, and quickly said, “Senior Sister Xu, this kid’s a poor nobody. What can he do? He just wants to join the entrepreneurial club and work at the milk tea shop, right?”

Xu Jianing frowned, completely bewildered, “Who are you?”

“I’m Li Hongrui, from the School of Biological and Chemical Engineering!” Li Hongrui said eagerly.

Xu Jianing was somewhat puzzled and glanced at Zhou Buqi, “Your friend?”

“Don’t know him.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm.

Xu Jianing then became less polite and said coldly, “Student, move aside!”

“Xu…”

“A good dog doesn’t block the path!”

Damn it!

How could Li Hongrui have ever endured such humiliation? He nearly spat blood in anger.

Chapter 49: Second Brother Zhou is Also Boss Zhou

However, Li Hongrui really didn’t dare to lose his temper in front of Xu Jianing. This semester, he still wanted to Join the Party, and also wanted to hold an important position in the University Student Union. All of these required the support of Senior Sister Xu.

More importantly, he had already checked; Xu Jianing’s father worked in a government ministry, and he couldn’t afford to offend them.

This was The Capital, department-level cadres were countless, and no one could afford to provoke them.

“Senior Sister Xu, I’m Li Hongrui, an officer from the Academic Department. I’ve reported my work to you before, and you even praised my hard work, saying I had a chance to compete for the position of Vice Head of the Academic Department.” Li Hongrui shamelessly revealed a fawning smile.

Xu Jianing raised an eyebrow, seeming to recall. “Oh, it’s you. What are you doing here?”

Li Hongrui secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a chuckle, “I heard a newly established entrepreneurial club was doing quite well, so I came to observe and learn on behalf of the University Student Union.”

After speaking, he glanced at Zhou Buqi with great mockery.

Zhou Buqi immediately smiled.

Li Hongrui was somewhat baffled by his smile, thinking, “Has Second Brother Zhou lost his mind?”

Xu Jianing narrowed her eyes, realizing something, and said indifferently, “Student Li Hongtui, you should step down. I think you need to study further. As for the position of Vice Head of the Academic Department, I will communicate with the other two Vice Presidents. You are not suitable.”

“My name is Li Hongrui, not Li Hongtui!”

“Huh? Wait!”

“What?”

“My position as Vice Head of the Academic Department is gone?”

“Not suitable?”

“Why not?”

The smile on Li Hongrui’s face immediately froze, as if paralyzed.

Xu Jianing waved her hand indifferently, motioning for him to leave quickly, then turned to Zhou Buqi and smiled, “Are you also interested in student organizations?”

Zhou Buqi shrugged, “Just came to take a look.”

Xu Jianing extended an olive branch, saying, “If you’re interested, come to the University Student Union! While I can’t promise too much, I can guarantee that you’ll be promoted to officer in the first semester of freshman year and become a Vice Head next semester.”

Thump, thump, thump!

Li Hongrui hastily stumbled back three steps, his face deathly pale, feeling his legs go weak, stumbling and tottering.

“What?”

“Senior Sister Xu wants to recommend Second Brother Zhou to join the University Student Union?”

“Join in freshman year?”

“And get promoted as soon as he joins, becoming a Vice Head next semester?”

“Is there no justice left in this world?”

“That’s the University Student Union!”

To think that he, Li Hongrui, a heaven’s favored son, only entered the University Student Union in his sophomore year, barely becoming an officer next semester, with the position of Vice Head of the Academic Department still a distant dream…

Everyone here was a Rich second-generation from Jilin Province, so why was the treatment so different?

If it came to money, my family was much richer than the Zhou family!

And that Second Brother Zhou was just a discarded son of the Zhou family, utterly worthless!

At this moment, Li Hongrui’s heart turned to ashes. He didn’t know how Second Brother Zhou had managed to win the favor of that bitch Xu, ganging up with her.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Buqi shook his head and politely refused, “Forget it, you’re right, I really don’t have much interest in student organizations. If you’re willing to help, you could mention Guo Pengfei.”

Xu Jianing curled her lips and said, “Forget about it. That kid is as stubborn as you. Last year, I tried to get him to join the University Student Union, but he simply wouldn’t go.”

Zhou Buqi laughed heartily, “This is probably what they call great minds thinking alike. We don’t have such great political ambitions as you. Alright, I have other things to do, so I won’t say more. See you around.”

Xu Jianing waved her small hand, “Mm, goodbye.”

Then, neither of them spared Li Hongrui a glance, turning and leaving in two different directions.

“Damn it!”

Li Hongrui roared in the depths of his heart.

Sure enough, his cry attracted an acquaintance, his classmate Wang Fulong.

Wang Fulong’s eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged lion. He rushed over fiercely and kicked Li Hongrui in the lower back, roaring, “Li Hongrui, you damn well ruined me!”

Li Hongrui winced in pain and immediately squatted on the ground, sweating profusely from the pain. He cursed loudly, “Wang Fulong, are you fing crazy? Are you all fing sick?”

“You bastard, you’ve ruined me badly enough!”

Wang Fulong was furious and kicked him again, directly knocking Li Hongrui to the ground.

Li Hongrui was so angry he could spit blood. What the hell was going on?

Why was everything so unlucky?

He lay on the ground in intense pain, sprawled out awkwardly, shouting, “I ruined you? What the hell did I do to you? Are you blind? Ouch…”

At this moment, other classmates noticed and rushed over to break up the fight.

Wang Fulong was held back and couldn’t attack anymore. He spat fiercely at Li Hongrui, cursing loudly, “Don’t you know, just because of one sentence from you, my damn Vice Head position is gone!”

“What does that have to do with me?” Li Hongrui was helped up by other classmates, consumed by rage.

Wang Fulong cursed loudly, “If you hadn’t provoked Boss Zhou, would I have been expelled?”

“Huh?”

“Boss Zhou?”

Li Hongrui was dumbfounded, completely confused.

He had dealings with the Zhou family, so he knew that the Zhou family’s third generation had two male descendants: the Boss was Zhou Bubi, and the Second Brother was Zhou Buqi.

So privately, they all called Zhou Bubi “Boss Zhou” and Zhou Buqi “Second Brother Zhou.”

Hearing the title “Boss Zhou” at this moment, Li Hongrui’s mind was a complete mess. “What nonsense is this? What does this have to do with Zhou Bubi? Are you stupid?”

“What Zhou Bubi? I’m talking about Zhou Buqi!” Wang Fulong roared.

Li Hongrui laughed in extreme anger, “You’re truly f***ing stupid, utterly idiotic! When did Zhou Buqi become the Boss? He’s the Second Brother!”

Wang Fulong was almost driven mad with anger, frantic. “You’re the stupid one, you’re the f***ing stupidest person I’ve ever seen! In our Yuanwei entrepreneurial club, Guo Pengfei, the head of the club, is only the Second Brother; Zhou Buqi is the Boss! You bastard, you’ve almost ruined me!”

Li Hongrui was dumbfounded, completely stunned.

“What?”

“The Boss of this entrepreneurial club is Zhou Buqi?”

“Is that true?”

Wang Fulong said tearfully, “I could have originally worked part-time at the Yuanwei milk tea shop, and maybe even gotten a position as Assistant Store Manager. But what happened instead? I ran into a moron like you! I had the worst luck imaginable!”

Li Hongrui’s imposing manner weakened considerably, his eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. He asked anxiously, “Yuanwei milk tea shop… What does that have to do with Zhou Buqi?”

“That’s the shop Zhou Buqi opened! What do you think it has to do with him?”

“Holy crap!”

Li Hongrui staggered backward, about to faint.

…

Liu Wenbo was deeply worried, his left eyelid kept twitching.

He asked someone, and they said: “Left eye twitching means disaster, right eye twitching means wealth.”

He felt even more uneasy.

Coincidentally, Zhou Buqi proposed holding the second general meeting of the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance.

The location was still the card room in the Student Activity Center, just like last time.

But the mood was completely different.

Zhou Buqi arrived five minutes early and found that everyone was already there, which made him feel pleased.

The team’s ambition was well-maintained.

“The main reason I asked you all to come today is to discuss one matter. Actually, it doesn’t have much to do with you, but it’s better to inform you all to avoid any misunderstandings.”

Zhou Buqi walked to the innermost head seat and sat down.

To his left was Liu Wenbo, and to his right was Xue Baoshan, clearly positioned as his trusted right-hand people.

“Before we get to the main topic, I’ll first announce some good news: our milk tea recipe has basically been finalized. In a few more days, the final version will be ready. Our milk tea shop can officially be considered on track for opening.”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips into a smile and led the applause.

Soon, applause resounded throughout the room.

The atmosphere was harmonious.

Zhou Buqi continued, “Alright, let’s get to the main topic. The chain milk tea shops need to be uniformly managed under a company name. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to register it.”

As soon as he said this, most people’s faces showed pleasant surprise, their eyes filled with anticipation.

A company is being opened! This is truly becoming formalized!

The Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance was no longer a makeshift group.

The future looks promising!

Only Liu Wenbo’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his face turned grim.

Chapter 50: Sole Proprietorship

“Wait!”

Liu Wenbo interrupted Zhou Buqi, his voice heavy as he questioned, “Why are we suddenly opening a company? Didn’t we say all three stores would operate as individual businesses?”

The so-called individual businesses meant that the Beijing University of Science and Technology store would be registered under Guo Pengfei’s name, the Beijing Institute of Technology store under Liu Wenbo’s, and the Beijing Foreign Studies University store under Xue Baoshan’s.

From a legal standpoint, the three stores would have no connection to Zhou Buqi whatsoever!

This was a common pitfall for student startups: prioritizing loyalty over principles, rushing forward with a slogan without the constraints of contracts, and not considering too much.

Guo Pengfei and Xue Baoshan naturally didn’t mind; they were both Zhou Buqi’s confidants, and entrusting the stores to them ensured everything would be foolproof.

However, after the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident, Zhou Buqi’s trust in Liu Wenbo had significantly diminished.

If the Beijing Institute of Technology store were registered as an individual business under Liu Wenbo’s name, the risk would be too great.

Facing Liu Wenbo’s questioning, Zhou Buqi’s expression remained unchanged. He smiled slightly and said, “There’s no other way; the situation has changed. Some of you who have been to the research institute might know that they have high hopes for our milk tea shop, even attributing significant political meaning to it. At this point, operating as individual businesses is no longer suitable.”

Liu Wenbo frowned and said, “But our funds are limited right now. Operating as individual businesses allows us to maximize tax avoidance and minimize various expenses.”

“There’s no other way; plans always fall behind changes,” Zhou Buqi replied calmly. “Fortunately, I’ve already thought of some ways to deal with this and maximize the reduction of our initial startup costs.”

“What method?”

“Establishing a sole proprietorship company.”

Holy crap!

Liu Wenbo’s eyes widened, and he almost cursed out loud.

I knew it! I knew it!

You, Zhou Buqi, wouldn’t be that kind!

You didn’t express any opinion on the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident from beginning to end. So you were laying a trap here all along.

You’re ruthless!

“A sole proprietorship? What’s the deal with that?”

They were all university students, and some didn’t quite understand.

“Senior Sister Zhen, could you explain it to everyone?” Zhou Buqi, seated at the head of the table, didn’t just speak himself but also tried to encourage everyone to participate.

They were all founding members of the startup, so democracy was key.

Zhen Yu smiled slightly, cleared her throat, and softly said, “A sole proprietorship is a business with only one owner. The person in charge of the business must match their ID card, and they cannot find someone else to act as the legal representative. This also means they bear unlimited joint liability.”

Zhou Buqi declared righteously, “Since we’re starting a business, how can we not take risks? Unlimited joint liability, I’ll bear it! As long as it can maximize tax savings and reduce startup capital, it’s all worth it.”

“It can save taxes?”

“Yes, according to our country’s laws, sole proprietorships are not required to pay corporate income tax; they only need to pay individual income tax. Funds can be freely transferred between public and private accounts, greatly improving business operational efficiency.”

After Zhen Yu finished, Xue Baoshan added with a smile, “In other words, if the milk tea shop opens and starts paying salaries in the future, we can… let’s put it this way: if a partnership pays salaries, the company first needs to pay corporate income tax, and then after the money is distributed, individual income tax is paid again. That means one sum of money is taxed twice. But if it’s a sole proprietorship, Student Zhou only needs to transfer funds from the company account to his private account, pay individual income tax once, and then distribute it to us in cash. From private to private, we wouldn’t need to pay individual tax. This means the company saves on expenses, but individual income is higher.”

“We’ll get paid too?”

Ma Pingshan suddenly realized something and exclaimed.

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Of course, you’ll get paid. We’re starting a business together; I can’t let you all work for nothing, can I? Right now, it’s just about paying salaries, but when the company grows larger and truly matures, shares will be allocated based on everyone’s contributions.”

Just dangling a carrot, this trick worked best on university students.

Didn’t he already fool Liu Wenbo before?

Xu Baihui suddenly raised her hand.

Zhou Buqi raised a hand, signaling her to speak.

Xu Baihui’s face was flushed and radiant, already beautiful and charming. Hearing that they could receive salaries made her even happier, and she chirped, “Boss, what you just said was too complicated; I didn’t quite understand it. I just want to ask, if we open a sole proprietorship company, will we get more money?”

Zhou Buqi chuckled and answered responsibly, “Yes!”

“Long live Boss!”

Xu Baihui cheered and clapped her hands repeatedly.

A sharp glint flashed in Zhou Buqi’s eyes as he glanced at her.

Her actions were a bit exaggerated!

Like a clumsy performance.

Come to think of it, her family owned a factory, with millions to spare. Would she care about this small salary? The only reasonable explanation was that she was cooperating with him, stirring up the atmosphere.

Well, I’ll be!

This girl is something else, so smart!

Art students shouldn’t be underestimated either.

Sure enough, driven by her enthusiasm, everyone’s emotions became excited. Their faces glowed with exhilaration, and the applause was fervent, a complete success.

Only Liu Wenbo sat there silently, like a statue.

Zhou Buqi seemed not to notice at all, smiling as he said, “Since everyone’s fine with it, it’s settled. Tomorrow, I’ll go…”

“Wait a moment!”

As expected, Liu Wenbo spoke up. He took a deep breath and said coldly, “I disagree!”

Xu Baihui was the first to speak, asking curiously, “Why? Everyone can get more money.”

Chen Dong said, “It’s not just about getting more money, is it? The company can also pay less tax. It’s killing two birds with one stone.”

Ji Zian also nodded, profoundly agreeing, “Boss Zhou is shouldering all the responsibility himself, but letting everyone share the benefits. To be honest, I feel a bit bad about it.”

Zhou Buqi waved a hand and declared loudly, “This is as it should be. Since I am the Alliance Leader of this startup alliance, I naturally have to bear more responsibility. Don’t feel pressured, just work hard and cooperate, and it will be fine.”

Ma Pingshan said, “I don’t really understand company matters, Boss Zhou. Whatever you say, we’ll do it. We all support you.”

“Yes, we support you!”

“Me too!”

“Agreed!”

…

Sounds of agreement rang out, like heavy punches landing on Liu Wenbo’s chest.

He really wanted to curse out loud, “Motherfucker!”

You don’t know anything!

You’re bought off by a little bit of benefit? Do you have no backbone at all?

However, Liu Wenbo knew the gravity of the situation. If he dared to reveal his true feelings, it would be equivalent to cutting off his own retreat. Unwilling, he said in a deep voice, “Boss Zhou, I remember we agreed back then that you, I, and Guo Pengfei would jointly start this business. You’d have 55% of the shares, I’d have 15%, Guo Pengfei would have 10%, and another 20% would be reserved for future joiners.”

Zhou Buqi almost laughed out loud.

You actually believe such nonsense?

Are shares promised so easily?

It seems you spent over a year away, and your naive innocence as a university student still hasn’t worn off completely.

Why should I give you shares of a company I worked so hard to build?

Before he even had to speak, Guo Pengfei was the first to state his position: “I don’t want them. I think a sole proprietorship is better; everyone gets benefits.”

He couldn’t shamelessly ask for them either.

Among the three milk tea shops, his was the most dilapidated and worst.

Even Xue Baoshan, from the flagship store, hadn’t received any shares, so what right did he have to ask for them?

Liu Wenbo was furious to the point of spitting blood, feeling isolated and powerless.

At the same time, he was inwardly shocked.

It’s only been a few days?

Zhou Buqi had already won everyone over; his efficiency was too high.

However, he was not an ordinary university student after all. He had more foresight and knew the importance of shares.

The earlier in the startup phase, the more shares one could acquire.

If it were later, even if Zhou Buqi was willing to allocate shares, how much would everyone get? By then, if the startup succeeded, every tiny bit of a share would have immense value; getting even a few percentage points would be a huge gift.

Unlike now, where a casual effort could secure a 15% stake.

At this point, Liu Wenbo no longer cared about the strange looks from others. He lowered his head, fiddling with his fingers, and said to himself, “Boss Zhou, we agreed back then that you would give me 15%. I believe that in partnering up to start a business, integrity is the most important thing. Without integrity, there is no business.”

“Hmm, you have a point.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, his expression relaxed, and he chuckled, “Forget it, this topic is a bit heavy. Let’s talk about something happier first. Baoshan, has your school given a reply yet?”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips and said, “Not yet. Apparently, the leader from the Logistics Office is about to step down, so the processing time might be a bit longer.”

Under the table, she gave Zhou Buqi a thumbs-up.

That diversion tactic was well played!

Shrewd!

In fact, the two had already discussed the progress of the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident over the phone. These words were merely to convey information to everyone.

Zhou Buqi hummed, “Our current momentum is considerable, so the Beijing Foreign Studies University administration wouldn’t dare to be negligent. By the way, I suppose most of you don’t know what exactly happened at Beijing Foreign Studies University, do you?”

Indeed, most people hadn’t been involved and had only heard a little about it.

Zhou Buqi then smiled and said, “Baoshan, why don’t you tell everyone what exactly happened?”

“Alright.”

Xue Baoshan’s sitting posture was very dignified, elegant, and serene, truly pleasing to the eye.

Then, she spoke softly and gently, without rush, recounting everything from the milk tea shop being harassed by hoodlums, to seeking Zhou Buqi’s help, to Liu Wenbo’s intervention, to the store being vandalized, and finally, to Zhou Buqi personally stepping in at the critical moment to resolve the crisis…

The story itself was full of twists and turns.

Xue Baoshan didn’t exaggerate; she told it as it was.

But even as she spoke the truth, to everyone’s ears, there was a strong hint of belittling one person while elevating another.

What was originally a minor issue, Liu Wenbo botched, escalating it. In that passive situation, it was Zhou Buqi who stepped forward with people, turned the tide, resolved the crisis, and even achieved a complete moral victory.

This was comparable to a male protagonist in a wuxia novel!

And Liu Wenbo was the troublemaker by the male protagonist’s side.

As soon as the story was finished, Liu Wenbo’s ears turned red, and he was so ashamed he wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

However, after calming down, he was suddenly startled!

He realized something.

This seemed to be Zhou Buqi’s hint!

He had just said that a startup team needed integrity, and Zhou Buqi, through Xue Baoshan’s words, recounted the entire Beijing Foreign Studies University incident from beginning to end.

Was this a warning?

Integrity, he was the one who abandoned it first.

Not Zhou Buqi!

Chapter 51: Willingly Concede Defeat

Ma Pingshan was born in 1980, a full six years older than Zhou Buqi, making him the oldest member of the entrepreneurial team.

Two years prior, he had graduated with excellent grades from Beihang University with a bachelor’s degree and went to work for a famous state-owned enterprise, specializing in aerospace engineering.

However, he found it difficult to adapt to the work environment in the state-owned enterprise; the slacking off and sycophancy were nauseating.

He wanted to resign but felt helpless.

Firstly, he was exceptionally capable, and his leaders particularly appreciated him, eagerly hoping he would stay and contribute to the enterprise and the nation.

Secondly, due to the national system, the profession he was engaged in was monopolized by state-owned enterprises, with private companies unable to get involved. Even if he resigned, he could only transfer to another state-owned enterprise.

After much thought, he found a solution: pursuing postgraduate studies!

Pursuing postgraduate studies was a step forward in professional skills; enterprise leaders would not only not obstruct him but would actively cooperate. At the same time, in these two or three years of study, he hoped to find a way out.

He would rather abandon his profession than work for a state-owned enterprise.

Against this backdrop, he seized the opportunity, joined the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, and became a founding member.

His experience in a state-owned enterprise gave him a keen eye for “infighting” and “power tactics,” something other university students couldn’t match.

In the current situation, he smelled the scent of power tactics.

The two parties wrestling for power were Zhou Buqi and Liu Wenbo.

Zhou Buqi was the Alliance Leader, while Liu Wenbo was almost universally recognized as the alliance’s second-in-command.

One wanted one hundred percent personal ownership, while the other sought to secure fifteen percent of the shares.

The Beijing Foreign Studies University incident was the fuse.

Others might not have heard anything unusual from Xue Baoshan’s story, but Ma Pingshan keenly detected a hint of strangeness.

In this incident, Liu Wenbo not only failed to stop it but actually played a role in fanning the flames.

Why did it feel a bit like an inside job?!

Ma Pingshan suddenly shivered, and his gaze towards Liu Wenbo became even more peculiar.

Having understood the full story, he took a deep breath and solemnly declared, “From the milk tea shop’s location, equipment, and recipes, to supply chain management, to the project concept and marketing strategy, including the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident—all of it proves one thing: Boss Zhou is a man destined for great things, and he is the most indispensable core of our team.”

“Indeed,” Ji Zian said, thoroughly convinced.

Guo Pengfei naturally agreed, “I concur.”

Xue Baoshan, Xu Baihui, Chen Dong, Meng Houkun, and Zhen Yu all expressed their willingness to rally around the entrepreneurial alliance with Zhou Buqi at its core.

Zhang Yinlei even had tears in his eyes, deeply moved.

For Liu Wenbo, this was another severe blow!

Everyone stood on Zhou Buqi’s side.

The Beijing Foreign Studies University incident was a major turning point.

Zhou Buqi was the great hero, and Liu Wenbo was the negative example.

In this atmosphere, Liu Wenbo found it difficult even to lift his head, let alone propose any more “excessive” demands.

However, he still didn’t give up, wanting to make one last attempt, though his voice was much weaker, as he muttered in a low tone, “Initially, I invested twenty thousand yuan.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Yes, I was just about to talk to you about that. At first, I thought we might not have enough funds, so I accepted your money, but it seems we don’t need it now. Baoshan, please return the money to Senior Student Liu later.”

This was absolute trust.

The two hadn’t even communicated about it beforehand.

Xue Baoshan knew that Zhou Buqi was indirectly borrowing twenty thousand yuan from her, and she was very happy, unable to hide the smile on her face, as she sweetly said, “Senior Student Liu, I’ll send the money to you tomorrow.”

Liu Wenbo’s expression stiffened, and he nodded blankly.

His heart was filled with mixed emotions.

There was anger at Zhou Buqi’s bold tactics, and regret for the inglorious role he played in the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident.

He truly regretted it bitterly.

One must know that he had made significant contributions to the establishment of this Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance!

At first, Zhou Buqi only had Guo Pengfei by his side. Although he had a mature Campus Card sales project, he lacked connections and promotion channels, making it impossible to expand quickly in the short term.

It was Liu Wenbo who appeared in time and proactively joined them.

Then, he used his connections to bring in Ji Zian from Renmin University of China and Xue Baoshan from Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Ji Zian then took over the Campus Card sales project, expanding it to more schools and recruiting a group of elites, which led to the formation of the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance.

With Zhou Buqi’s capabilities, he would certainly succeed in forming the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance. However, without Liu Wenbo, he couldn’t have formed it so quickly.

Now that the team was formed, he had played a move of discarding someone after they’ve served their purpose!

Naturally, this involved Zhou Buqi’s bold decisiveness, but also Liu Wenbo’s own grave mistakes.

Without the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident, how could he have so easily erased the fifteen percent shares he had once promised?

“Sigh!”

Liu Wenbo sighed heavily in his heart.

What was done was done.

Yet, he was helpless.

Should he angrily stand up and leave the team?

Of course not.

He had contributed so much to this team; the milk tea shop at Beijing Institute of Technology had even opened in the Library, with immense profit prospects. If he quit now, wouldn’t all his previous hard work be in vain?

Going it alone wouldn’t work either. The milk tea shop at Beijing Institute of Technology hadn’t even finished renovation; there was no equipment, no raw materials, no recipes, no supply chain…

The most crucial elements of the milk tea shop were all in Zhou Buqi’s hands.

How could he fight?

The two sides were simply not on equal footing.

There was no other way; he could only willingly concede defeat.

Boss Zhou, you’re amazing!

I’m convinced!

…

Zhou Buqi treated everyone to a meal at the Wanxiu Garden Canteen, using his own Campus Card.

Liu Wenbo intentionally came closer, smiling, and said, “Actually, there’s a way to save money.”

“Oh?” Zhou Buqi looked curious.

Liu Wenbo explained, “These card swipe machines are very simply designed and have many loopholes. When swiping your Campus Card, if you pull the card away the instant the cashier presses the confirm button, the machine will still ‘beep’ normally and show a successful swipe. But in reality, no money will be deducted from the Campus Card.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

These experts in communications engineering truly mastered all sorts of tricks.

However, he still shook his head and said, “If we save money, the canteen loses out. Taking such small advantages isn’t meaningful; it’s better to be upright.”

Liu Wenbo chuckled, his expression a bit awkward.

After lunch, they dispersed.

Ma Pingshan, however, stayed behind, citing Beihang University being right next door as his reason.

“Brother Ma, do you need something?” Zhou Buqi bought two bottles of cola and handed one to him.

Ma Pingshan looked very mature, so much so that people would believe him if he said he was thirty. He chuckled lightly and said, “I think stability is very important for a team.”

“Oh?” Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow.

Ma Pingshan said, “I thought you would use this opportunity to kick Liu Wenbo out.”

Zhou Buqi let out a wry laugh.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Brother Ma, you’re a smart person, so I won’t beat around the bush. For our team, currently, Liu Wenbo is still the most capable.”

Ma Pingshan didn’t deny this, “With you here, we don’t need him.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, “Brother Ma, I only have one head and two hands. If everything falls on me, I won’t be able to handle it all. I’m already overwhelmed and stressed with the milk tea shop business.”

Ma Pingshan frowned, seemingly having a different opinion.

Zhou Buqi pondered for a long time before saying calmly, “No one is a saint; everyone makes mistakes. We are a team, and I am willing to give him another chance. This applies to Liu Wenbo, and it applies to every single person in our team.”

“You could be more bold.”

“If needed, I will be.”

Chapter 52: Blue Sky Dream

Perhaps because Ma Pingshan had worked in a state-owned enterprise and was quite knowledgeable, Zhou Buqi found their conversation very engaging.

Ma Pingshan felt the same way. After drinking a bottle of cola, he tentatively asked, “Boss Zhou, tell me honestly, do you think I’m capable?”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was slightly taken aback. “What do you mean by that?”

Ma Pingshan said bitterly, “My greatest expertise in this life is aerospace flight technology, but my personality is too brash, too many rough edges. I can’t adapt to the atmosphere of a state-owned enterprise.”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Having rough edges isn’t a bad thing. Many times, creativity stems from those very edges.”

Ma Pingshan waved his hand, seemingly not wanting to dwell on the topic, and pressed on, “Boss Zhou, I know you’re a person with great ambitions and strong capabilities. I admire you very much. But, following you, what can I do? I don’t mean anything else, just point me in a direction, so I can work hard. Even finance or legal work, I’ll go and learn it.”

Zhou Buqi was greatly surprised. “You’re giving up your major? Don’t you like this field?”

“I do! I’m not afraid you’ll laugh, but I’ve been fascinated by the blue sky since I was a child.” Ma Pingshan sighed deeply, a look of utter helplessness on his face. “But, reality is unavoidable.”

“Why?” Zhou Buqi was very puzzled.

Ma Pingshan said, “Didn’t I say, I’m not suited for a state-owned enterprise…”

“Wait!”

Zhou Buqi interrupted him, a strange expression on his face. “If a state-owned enterprise doesn’t work, then don’t go to one? Our team isn’t a state-owned enterprise either.”

“Hmm?”

Ma Pingshan didn’t understand his meaning.

Zhou Buqi, however, understood his thoughts and asked him firmly, “Brother Ma, tell me, what is your ideal?”

“Ideal…”

Ma Pingshan laughed, shaking his head, a little despondent.

“Brother Ma, do you think I’m joking?” Zhou Buqi looked serious, gazing into his eyes. From the start, he had unhesitatingly chosen Ma Pingshan for his team precisely because of his major.

His undergraduate major was Aircraft Control and Information Engineering, and his postgraduate major was Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Engineering.

Ma Pingshan was surprised by his serious demeanor. “Boss Zhou, you…”

“Just say it directly, is your ideal the blue sky?!” Zhou Buqi’s tone was somewhat heavy.

Ma Pingshan took a deep breath and exhaled a single word: “Yes!”

“Then why don’t you pursue it?”

“Huh?”

Ma Pingshan was stunned.

Zhou Buqi said softly, “The country’s policies are slowly opening up. As far as I know, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center has also applied quite a few civilian technologies.”

“Those are just small-scale things, supplying some auxiliary technologies.” Ma Pingshan shook his head. “The most core aerospace technology, including aviation technology, is all in the hands of state-owned enterprises.”

Zhou Buqi was unimpressed and said, “Brother Ma, everything you said is correct, but that’s not a policy restriction, it’s a practical limitation. Private enterprises lack sufficient capital investment and a large number of scientific and technical personnel, so it’s difficult for them to make breakthroughs in the aviation field. You also understand our country’s situation; high-end talent is very scarce.”

Ma Pingshan paused. “What do you mean?”

“I’m telling you that national policy does not restrict your blue sky dream!” Zhou Buqi stated with conviction.

Ma Pingshan’s eyes widened, completely speechless.

Zhou Buqi was silent for a moment, then smiled and asked him, “Brother Ma, do you know how those grand scenes in movies are shot? Like the massive battles in ‘The Lord of the Rings’?”

“Crane shots, right?”

“No, helicopters.”

“Using helicopters to shoot movies?” Ma Pingshan wasn’t very familiar with the industry.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “It’s not just for movies. For example, overhead shots of World Cup matches, opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games, and other large events, even Michael Jackson’s concerts, all require aerial photography using helicopters.”

Ma Pingshan shook his head. “That’s a huge undertaking. How much would it cost to use a helicopter?”

“Exactly, the cost is too high. So, only the largest events and Hollywood movies can afford to do that. Look at our domestic film ‘Hero’; its scenes are also grand, but why isn’t it as magnificent as ‘The Lord of the Rings’? A big reason is the lack of helicopter aerial perspectives, forcing them to rely on crane shots.”

“Hmm, China is still poor.”

“Do you want to change this situation?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Ma Pingshan didn’t react immediately.

Zhou Buqi said, “Helicopters consume too much. Not to mention us, few countries in the world can afford them. This contains a huge business opportunity—drones.”

“Drones?” Ma Pingshan initially found it ridiculous. Drones were cutting-edge technology; the US military was secretly developing them, pointing towards the direction of fifth-generation fighter jets.

Immediately, his expression changed slightly as he understood something, and he exclaimed in surprise, “You mean civilian drones? Using drones for aerial photography?”

Zhou Buqi smiled slightly. “Actually, it’s not just you; I believe every man has a blue sky dream. Many children’s favorite toys are model airplanes. If they can’t afford them, they make paper airplanes themselves. I’ve seen many toy airplanes with pretty good technology; they can fly twenty to thirty meters high, right?”

“They can go a bit higher. Our school has an Aeromodelling Competition, and the students modify them; they’re quite good.” Ma Pingshan’s voice was trembling, his emotions surged uncontrollably.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Isn’t that right? Is the distance between ideal and reality really that far?”

“Hiss!”

Ma Pingshan’s eyes gleamed, looking at him with an almost crazed intensity.

Zhou Buqi held up three fingers and said, “To use drones for aerial photography, in my opinion, three technologies must be broken through. First, the drone must be large enough, with sufficient payload capacity, to carry a small digital camera. Second, aerial photography must be stable, which requires the drone to be able to hover and remain stationary in the air. This will use the helicopter rotor principle, but more precisely. Third, there must be information transmission, where the drone’s aerial camera feed can be displayed on a handheld device, allowing for real-time adjustments of direction, focal length, and so on.”

Ma Pingshan looked at him excitedly, his voice trembling, “Boss Zhou, that’s my major!”

“Can you do it?”

“Yes!”

“Are you willing to do it?”

“This is what I’ve always pursued; why wouldn’t I be willing?”

Zhou Buqi stood up and declared loudly, “Then that’s it, isn’t it? Brother Ma, haven’t you found your future direction?”

Ma Pingshan’s emotions surged with excitement, and he also stood up.

However, he quickly calmed down, hesitating, “This direction is unprecedented; it’s probably unheard of anywhere in the world. To conduct research in this area, the capital investment won’t be a small sum.”

Zhou Buqi laughed heartily, “Brother Ma, don’t forget, we are a team! I’ll handle the funding issue! Your task is to delve deeper and more precisely into your professional field, to reach the forefront of the world. Since we’ve found a world-leading topic, we have every reason to always lead the world.”

“Lead the world…”

Ma Pingshan gasped, his recently calmed mind once again pounding with immense fervor.

This was a grand goal!

When he resigned from the state-owned enterprise, he felt deeply guilty.

It was not easy for the country to cultivate high-end talent, especially in the aerospace field. In this area, the motherland was constrained and suppressed by international giants; to rise, it had to rely on its own strength, requiring the struggle of this generation of Chinese people.

Yet, after completing his studies, he was unwilling to continue down that path, feeling a certain sense of indebtedness to the country.

Now, after hearing Zhou Buqi’s words, the guilt and unease in his heart vanished completely!

Yes, even outside a state-owned enterprise, he could still make immense contributions to the nation’s aviation industry, and even have the chance to take a shortcut to reach the pinnacle of the world!

This was his immense pride as a Chinese person!

Looking up, he had no shame before heaven; looking down, he had no shame in his heart; spreading his arms, he had no shame before the land beneath his feet!

Ma Pingshan was captivated.

He was completely lost in the aviation dream that Zhou Buqi had woven for him.

Seeing the moisture in his eyes, Zhou Buqi patted his shoulder, leading him out of the cafeteria, asking as they walked, “Now that the goal is set, what do you think we should do next?”

Ma Pingshan took a deep breath. “Intensive research! Master the world’s most advanced drone technology as much as possible, and go deeper and broader in the technical field.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “In my opinion, you need to do three things right now. The professional technology you mentioned is just one of them.”

“Tell me, I’m listening.”

At this moment, Ma Pingshan was completely captivated by Zhou Buqi’s charisma.

It could be said that Zhou Buqi’s words had pointed him to a clear path, like a guiding light, changing his entire life. Without Zhou Buqi, his life would likely have gone in one of two directions: returning to a state-owned enterprise or changing careers.

Zhou Buqi said, “You must actively participate in all projects and activities of the Entrepreneurship Alliance. Even if our next entrepreneurial project has nothing to do with drones, the commercial attributes are universal. You need to learn business thinking by my side and improve your management skills.”

“Understood, I’ll remember that,” Ma Pingshan nodded heavily.

“The last point is especially important. You are backed by one of China’s best aerospace engineering universities, which gathers the top scientific and technical talents in our country’s aerospace industry, including dozens of Academicians of the Two Academies. In the next year or two, you need to organize a sufficiently excellent team to jointly create this great endeavor with you.”

“Heh,” Ma Pingshan grinned. “That shouldn’t be difficult. In fact, if elite talents have a choice, few are willing to work in state-owned enterprises. And in the aerospace field, private enterprises are almost non-existent. If I have a suitable project, it means I have no competitors. With a rallying cry, a team of one or two hundred people can be easily assembled.”

“I want elites!” Zhou Buqi looked at him, his voice grave. “I said, since we’re doing this, we must be internationally leading, even globally the best! I need the most outstanding talent. If possible, you can even extend an olive branch to your mentor, to Yangtze River Scholars, to Academicians of the Two Academies. Do you understand what I mean?”

Ma Pingshan’s eyes widened, filled with shock.

He finally saw it clearly.

Zhou Buqi’s ambition was boundless!

Chapter 53: Double Blessings

The milk tea shop’s supply chain issues must be resolved.

Raw materials like tea leaves, creamer, and plastic cups can all be handled by Fang Qiwen. He runs a beverage factory and used to be the vice president of Wahaha Group, so he has long-standing supplier channels. We can rest assured about that.

The most crucial part is the fruit.

Zhou Buqi had called Fang Qiwen to ask, but the answer he received left him speechless.

His beverage factory also produces fruit-flavored drinks, but he never uses fresh fruit to make them; he only purchases highly concentrated fruit pulp. He doesn’t have any fruit supplier resources.

There was no other way. Zhou Buqi had to personally open up the fruit supply channels.

That afternoon, Zhou Buqi called Meng Houkun, and they set off together.

He had considered for a long time why he chose Meng Houkun.

Meng Houkun was a third-year undergraduate student at China Agricultural University. Perhaps because he was from the literature department, he was exceptionally meticulous in his work, dressed impeccably, and was very serious during meetings.

This kind of personality was very suitable for supplier management.

Once Zhou Buqi had trained him, he might as well hand this business segment over to him.

The two took a taxi to a relatively well-known fruit wholesale market in Haidian District.

Unfortunately, the two of them were completely in the dark.

“How’s the investigation going?” Zhou Buqi asked him.

Meng Houkun replied, “I asked two fruit stores; neither was very big. Their gross profit margin was around 60%. The gross profit margin I’m referring to is after accounting for rotten or damaged fruit.”

Zhou Buqi nodded. “Bananas are 2.5 yuan per 500g. So, calculating it, the price wholesalers give these retail fruit stores wouldn’t be higher than 1.5 yuan.”

Meng Houkun said, “The prices wholesalers give retailers depend on sales volume. These small fruit stores have limited sales, so their purchase prices are quite high. Only supermarkets and large fruit merchants with high purchase volumes can get the lowest prices. Unfortunately, we can’t get exact data.”

“Yes, it’s about volume.”

“Our milk tea shops, how should I put it, the off-season is coming soon. The daily fruit consumption for each milk tea shop will reach its limit at 50 kg. That volume is too low.”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but laugh. “Our purchase price can’t possibly be higher than that of fruit retailers, can it?”

Meng Houkun said, “Hard to say. We don’t have resources or connections.”

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes and said, “Right now, we only have three stores, so our purchasing volume isn’t large. However, within a year, Yuanwei milk tea shops will open at least a hundred stores, covering all universities in The Capital. If a supplier can’t see our potential, then we don’t need them.”

Some things he didn’t say explicitly.

He wanted to solve the fruit supply chain issue once and for all, so it wouldn’t bother him again in the future.

The milk tea shop was just a small beginning in his business empire. He would open up even larger markets later and didn’t have time to go back and forth on fruit supply.

As a result, he was greatly disappointed.

In the fruit wholesale market, the two visited over a dozen suppliers, but the prices they quoted were outrageously high, almost on par with retail prices.

This was a classic case of bullying college students who lacked social experience.

After walking for over three hours, they returned defeated.

“It’s alright. The road to success is always full of twists and turns; don’t be discouraged. Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll go to the Changping Shuitun Agricultural and Sideline Products Wholesale Market. There are more wholesalers there, and it’s more legitimate.”

Zhou Buqi, fearing he might be disheartened, offered a word of encouragement.

Meng Houkun smiled without speaking.

“What are you smiling about?” Zhou Buqi asked curiously.

“I’m happy.”

“We walked for a whole afternoon for nothing, and I’m parched from talking. You’re still happy?”

Meng Houkun shook his head. “This is different. I’m happy about this experience.”

Zhou Buqi nodded gently.

Meng Houkun sighed and said softly, “Only by being by your side can I truly understand the difficulty of starting a business. This afternoon, the cold stares and contempt we received—there were a few times I almost couldn’t help but walk away. But you always had a smile on your face and even offered them cigarettes. Honestly, I really admire you.”

“So, did you learn anything?”

“Yes, every ‘grandfather’ starts as a ‘subordinate’.”

“Haha!”

Zhou Buqi burst out laughing.

Meng Houkun turned to look at him. “Tomorrow, when we go to Changping, how about I take the lead in negotiations? You can supplement from the side.”

“Can you do it?”

“I’ll try.”

“Alright.”

…

Back at school, Zhou Buqi called Wu Yu to have dinner together.

This made Wu Yu very happy. She dressed up exquisitely; her light eyeshadow looked charming, and her red lips were coated with a shimmering lip gloss.

“Don’t put random things on your lips anymore.”

During dinner, Zhou Buqi sternly warned her while serving her food.

Wu Yu felt very sweet inside.

She finally understood.

Even though Zhou Buqi usually seemed fierce and always liked to scold people, deep down, he was still very gentle and considerate.

Just like last night, didn’t he also take off his jacket and put it over her shoulders later?

He was just sharp-tongued but kind-hearted.

“What’s wrong? Does it not look good?”

Wu Yu blinked, very puzzled. This lip gloss was her favorite.

Zhou Buqi continued eating, head down. “How can I kiss you if you put all that messy stuff on?”

Wu Yu’s face suddenly flushed red. She lowered her head and mumbled, “Mm.” While eating, she suddenly thought of his comical appearance with lips full of lip gloss and couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

Zhou Buqi glared at her exasperatedly. “You can’t even eat properly!”

“Sorry.”

Wu Yu suppressed her laughter, replying softly, but the smile at the corner of her mouth couldn’t be hidden.

Zhou Buqi was quite exasperated, wondering what kind of foolishness this girl was up to again. “You truly live up to your name, Wu Yu! You’re really speechless!”

“You’re scolding me again.”

Wu Yu pouted, looking at him coquettishly.

Zhou Buqi was a little exasperated with her, feeling helpless. “Forget it. Do you still have fruit in your dorm room?”

Wu Yu lowered her head and said, “It’s all gone. My roommates were eating it, and I felt bad refusing.”

“Hmm, it’s fine.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t mind. He pulled out his phone and made a call. “Dorm leader, the fruit’s gone, right? Yes, buy some more.”

After he hung up, Wu Yu was stunned.

Zhou Buqi scoffed, “Is that strange? When girls date, their boyfriends have to support their entire dorm. When guys date, they have to rely on their entire dorm to support them. If I didn’t ask my dorm mates for help, could I afford to support you?”

“It’s not that exaggerated!” Wu Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Zhou Buqi sighed. “It’s true. I’m out of money now. Not only am I out of money, but I also owe people twenty thousand yuan outside.”

If the domain name business didn’t start soon, his capital chain would truly break.

At this moment, he was probably under the most pressure since coming to The Capital.

Fortunately, he had a girl by his side.

Her sweetest kisses gave him the greatest relaxation.

It was just that the feeling of lips full of lip gloss wasn’t great.

…

At the downstairs guard post, Zhou Buqi received a package.

He thought it was sent by his Coward Dad, surely something inappropriate for children, so he secretly took it away, afraid of being seen.

After returning to his dorm, while waiting for Wang Dalong to return with fruit, he opened his computer and checked his MSN Messenger email.

He hoped a miracle would happen.

The domain name business needed to start quickly.

“Huh? There really is an email. Oh, wait, it’s spam…”

Zhou Buqi was a little disappointed, but just as he was about to skip it, his eyes suddenly fixed on it. No, wait!

This English email didn’t seem to be spam!

He quickly sat up straight, using his limited English skills to painstakingly read this ‘reading comprehension’ exercise. Then, his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his expression became increasingly joyful.

Holy crap!

It really came!

The big domain name business is about to open!

This was an email from the United States, sent by a university graduate named Steve. The gist was that he wanted to start a news-type website and had already secured angel funding. The only regret was that his preferred domain name had already been registered.

He hoped to purchase the domain name reddit.com for fifty thousand US dollars.

Finally, he attached a copy of a US company’s business license, some approval documents issued by the San Francisco city government, and his personal contact information and photo.

This was to prove that his words were true and his intention to cooperate was sincere.

Zhou Buqi had long known that the domain name business would definitely pick up this year because the global internet market was heating up again. 2005 was the new ‘Year One’ for the internet, with countless excellent online companies being founded that year.

He had originally thought his first domain name deal would be with a domestic website like Qunar.com or Douban.com.

He didn’t expect it to come from Silicon Valley!

And the opening offer was fifty thousand US dollars!

Converted to domestic currency, that was over four hundred thousand yuan!

He was rich.

Now that he was rich, all his problems were solved.

Zhou Buqi was exhilarated, reading the email from across the ocean several times over, so engrossed that he didn’t even notice Wang Dalong return after buying fruit.

“What did you get in the mail?”

Northeasterners, you see, are generally unconcerned with trifles. Wang Dalong was just like that; he put the fruit on the table, then grabbed the package and tore it open.

“Hmm…”

Zhou Buqi casually replied, then glanced back inadvertently, and his expression instantly changed drastically. “My package! Don’t touch it!”

This was something his Coward Dad had mailed him; it was something very embarrassing!

“What’s wrong?”

Wang Dalong found it baffling. By then, he had already opened the package and looked inside. “Books in the mail? What kind of books are so important?”

“Huh? Books?”

Zhou Buqi was slightly taken aback, a little surprised.

Coward Dad mailed him books?

No way!

That’s not like him at all.

At this moment, Wang Dalong had already taken out the books and laughed, “Oh, it’s magazines! ‘China Food’? Why are there three copies, and they’re all the same?”

“Magazines?”

Zhou Buqi was also a bit confused. Who sent him magazines?

He took them and looked. Below the ‘China Food’ magazine, he saw ‘China Food Magazine Press,’ and suddenly realized.

It all made sense now.

It turned out this package wasn’t sent by Coward Dad, but by the Capital Food Research Institute.

China Food Magazine Press is a subordinate organization of the Capital Food Research Institute.

Then he looked at the cover of the magazine. Ho!

How impressive!

There was a dazzling big headline: “Pearl Milk Tea, Do You Still Dare to Drink It?”

This was truly double blessings.

Chapter 54: Milk Tea and Domains Flourish Together

Manager Liu from the Food Research Institute had said he would send a big gift, and he was being mysterious about it.

Unexpectedly, it was a magazine!

And it was such a sharp move right from the start.

Although China Food isn’t a bestseller, its publisher is the Capital Food Research Institute, which is the benchmark for the domestic food industry.

This magazine naturally became the only publicly circulated authoritative magazine in the domestic food industry, maintaining deep cooperative relationships with National Education TV, Yanjing TV, and Donghai TV, providing the latest and fastest authoritative information in the domestic food sector.

For such a magazine to publish an article titled ‘Pearl Milk Tea: Do You Still Dare to Drink It?’, its influence was easily imaginable.

Zhou Buqi snatched the magazine and began flipping through it, finding that the article indeed criticized Pearl Milk Tea severely with a serious tone.

For example, the ‘pearls’ are made of starch and have no sweetness. To make them tastier, vendors soak them in saccharin water for a long time to increase sweetness. Soaking them for too long can produce toxins.

Another example is fruit flavor powder. To achieve a better ‘fruit flavor,’ Pearl Milk Tea often contains large amounts of fruit flavor powder additives. Excessive absorption is very harmful to human organs like the liver and kidneys. Chemically synthesized colorants are even more toxic, diarrheogenic, and carcinogenic. Long-term consumption of foods containing fruit flavor powder can also negatively affect children’s intellectual development.

Furthermore, creamer and cyclamate also have their respective drawbacks.

If one only consumes a single component from a cup of milk tea, the human body can still self-regulate and eliminate toxins. But if all five poisons are present, it will truly and severely damage one’s health.

In fact, there have already been many negative reports about Pearl Milk Tea in society.

For instance, there was a girl who suffered from long-term stomach pain. When she went to the hospital for an examination, a billiard-ball-sized tumor was found in her stomach. Her parents were terrified, but after a series of tests, it turned out to be a large accumulation of undigested ‘pearls’ in her stomach from her long-term consumption of Pearl Milk Tea.

There were also cases like a child choking on Pearl Milk Tea, a teenage girl developing an intestinal obstruction after drinking Pearl Milk Tea, and some unscrupulous vendors even using plastic to make ‘pearls’ for a chewier texture.

With the stance taken by this semi-official authoritative magazine, this trend is bound to intensify.

At the end of the article, the main theme was highlighted.

It stated that in order to ensure the people nationwide could drink truly safe milk tea, the Capital Food Research Institute had collaborated with ten universities, including Peking University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beihang University, Beijing University of Science and Technology, and Beijing Foreign Studies University. They also partnered with the Capital University Entrepreneurship Alliance for commercial promotion, creating the Yuanwei milk tea brand to establish a safety benchmark for local milk tea!

Rejecting pearls, focusing on fresh fruit.

After reading the article, Zhou Buqi slapped the table in admiration, completely captivated by the author’s astonishing talent.

Now this is a master!

They wrote an advertorial that was smooth, natural, and left no trace. It suppressed competitors, praised themselves, raised the banner of a local national brand, and responded to policy calls.

Brilliant!

Absolutely brilliant!

Perfect. Once this report is out, it will definitely attract the attention of relevant media outlets. It will be impossible for Yuanwei milk tea to keep a low profile.

With the two big hats of ‘national safety’ and ‘national brand’ worn, the development of the milk tea shop will be exceptionally smooth from now on.

Zhou Buqi flipped the magazine over and checked the price: 4.5 yuan.

Not bad, not expensive.

He took out his phone and called Manager Liu: “Manager Liu, this gift really startled me.”

“Haha, each gets what they need, each gets what they need,” Manager Liu laughed heartily.

Zhou Buqi asked: “Manager Liu, if I were to purchase this magazine in bulk, what would be the wholesale price?”

“You want to buy magazines?”

“Yes.”

“How many do you want?”

“Let’s start with 5,000 copies.”

Manager Liu’s heart skipped a beat, and he pondered for a moment.

He also had the common flaw of state-owned enterprise employees, believing that Zhou Buqi was getting free publicity benefits. As a university student, it wasn’t appropriate for him to offer actual money, so he was using this indirect method to give a benefit.

Zhou Buqi bypassing the magazine publisher and directly approaching him could only mean one thing—Manager Liu could profit from the price difference.

Earning 1 yuan per copy, that would be 5,000 yuan, equivalent to two months of his salary.

Manager Liu’s mood improved even further.

He felt that this young man handled affairs very maturely and had potential.

“Alright, I’ll communicate with the magazine publisher later. 5,000 copies, that’s a considerable purchase volume! It’s half of the magazine’s sales,” Manager Liu said with a smile.

Zhou Buqi smiled: “No rush on my end, just have them ready before National Day.”

After ending the call, Zhou Buqi felt every cell in his body joyfully leaping.

Stepping onto the tailwind of era policies right at the startup stage – this feeling was simply too good.

Then, he returned to his computer to reread the email.

The authenticity of the email should be fine.

Based on the timeline, the famous American news website Reddit would launch next year.

The question was, what was the actual value of the domain reddit.com?

There was no unified standard for this.

Reddit is not a word with an inherent meaning, unlike words such as ‘choice’ or ‘car.’ In other words, ‘reddit’ was a word invented by the entrepreneurs themselves.

If Zhou Buqi’s asking price was too high, leading to a breakdown in negotiations, the other party could simply choose a different word and change the domain name to reddat.com or reddet.com, which wouldn’t significantly impact the entrepreneurs.

However, Zhou Buqi’s interests would be severely harmed.

The other party offered 50,000 US dollars, which was definitely on the low side and left room for negotiation.

Unsure of the standard, Zhou Buqi went online to research.

After reading a lot of news, he finally found information about Facebook.

Just last month, Facebook’s funding arrived. After Mark Zuckerberg got the money, the first thing he did was buy the domain facebook.com.

Before that, Facebook’s domain was thefacebook.com.

To acquire the domain facebook.com, Mark Zuckerberg, who was only two years older than Zhou Buqi, spent 200,000 US dollars.

After reading this news, Zhou Buqi had a good idea.

The originality of the word ‘facebook’ was lower than ‘reddit’.

Domain names are like this: the more original a word, the lower the price; the more meaningful a word, the higher the price. For example, the domain car.com would cost tens of millions of US dollars to acquire.

From this perspective, the value of the reddit.com domain was less than 200,000 US dollars.

Zhou Buqi pondered for a long time before replying with a short email: “How about 250,000 US dollars?”

There was no response from the other party, so Zhou Buqi, carrying the fruit Wang Dalong had just bought, left the dorm under Wang Dalong’s resentful gaze and delivered it to Wu Yu.

Half an hour later, he returned.

To his pleasant surprise, the other party had replied!

Right, it was late night in the Eastern Hemisphere, and early morning in the Western Hemisphere.

The other party’s email was also concise: “Too high, 100,000 US dollars at most.”

Zhou Buqi, whose college entrance exam English score was 135, a decent level, replied to him: “A few days ago, facebook.com sold for 200,000 US dollars. The word ‘reddit’ is shorter than ‘facebook,’ so its price should logically be higher. Steve, I’m looking for a fair deal.”

Reddit’s two founders were Steve and Alex. Unlike Zuckerberg, they were university graduates who had secured seed funding early on from YCombinator.

So, they had money.

“Dear Zhou, that’s not how it works. Facebook already has scale, and our website hasn’t even launched yet, so we have more flexibility. 100,000 US dollars is a fair price.”

“No, Steve, that price is too low.”

“Our funds are limited.”

“Then I’ll concede a step: 200,000 US dollars.”

“No, no, that’s too high. I believe there’s a fundamental disagreement in our negotiation basis.”

“…”

…

After more than an hour of cross-ocean email communication, both parties finally reached a consensus on the price.

“Zhou, you’re a business genius. From your information, you must be a university student too, right? With this 150,000 US dollars, I hope you also succeed in your venture.”

“Thank you, Steve.”

“I look forward to us meeting in the future.”

“Me too.”

…

Both parties were science and engineering geeks and had language barriers, so they couldn’t employ many negotiation tactics; it was mostly tough negotiation.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi succeeded.

He sold the domain reddit.com for 150,000 US dollars.

This was his first time dealing in domain names, and it was a very successful start.

It also greatly alleviated his current financial pressure.

Opening MSN Messenger, he saw that JuliaWen was also online, so he sent a message: “Teacher Wen, not asleep yet?”

JuliaWen: “Hmm, I’m looking at real estate agent listings.”

Zhou Buqi: “Have you found a place?”

JuliaWen: “No, studio apartments are too scarce. The closest ones are outside the Fifth Ring Road, and I don’t want to go that far.”

Zhou Buqi: “If it really doesn’t work out, then a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment will do.”

JuliaWen: “We’ll see. Do you need something?”

Zhou Buqi: “Yes, I remember your office has a fax machine, right?”

JuliaWen: “Yes, it does.”

Zhou Buqi: “Alright then, I’ll come to your office tomorrow morning to find you.”

JuliaWen: “I’m going to look at apartments tomorrow.”

Zhou Buqi: “No, I have something very important.”

JuliaWen: “What is it?”

Zhou Buqi: “A big business deal.”

JuliaWen: “???”

Zhou Buqi: “An overseas business deal, I need to sign a contract.”

JuliaWen: “Bragging.”

Zhou Buqi: “You’ll know tomorrow, Teacher Wen Zhixia. Don’t underestimate your student, okay?”

JuliaWen: “Okay.”

Zhou Buqi: “Then I’ll wait for you at your office at 8 AM tomorrow. A bit early, because of the time difference.”

JuliaWen: “Okay.”

Zhou Buqi smiled contentedly, then hesitated for a moment before provocatively replying: “Hmm, good girl!”

Then, without waiting for her reply, he decisively went offline.

He wore a mischievous grin, imagining Teacher Wen’s embarrassed and flustered expression.

Immediately after, his phone received a text message: “That’s the fourth time!!!!”

Chapter 55: Joint Purchase Card

Zhou Buqi was very busy.

Extremely busy.

The next day, he woke up early and went to Wen Zhixia’s office.

As soon as they met, Wen Zhixia glared at him, her eyes wide, and kicked him.

Zhou Buqi dramatically cried out, “Teacher Wen, how dare you physically punish a student? Be careful, I’ll report you!”

“Is there any student like you?” Wen Zhixia said, blushing with anger.

“Cough, cough, serious business! Serious business is important!”

Zhou Buqi knew he shouldn’t push it too far, so he quickly changed the subject.

Then, he contacted Steve, printed the contract, signed and faxed it, and then received the faxed document back.

After more than an hour of bustling back and forth, a transaction worth one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars was successfully completed.

Wen Zhixia, who was helping nearby, felt a wave of shock within her, like a turbulent sea.

This brat’s internet domain name actually sold for one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars?

Is he a devil?

Seeing her surprise, Zhou Buqi showed off, “Teacher Wen, don’t you think I’m amazing?”

Wen Zhixia nodded lightly, “Mm, quite amazing.”

“Compared to you?” Zhou Buqi said with a grin.

“Very proud, aren’t you?” Wen Zhixia rolled her eyes.

Zhou Buqi started courting disaster again, asking in a low voice, “Teacher Wen, do you have a boyfriend?”

“Does it concern you?” Wen Zhixia said coldly.

Zhou Buqi sighed dramatically, his face not red and his heart not pounding, “I don’t have a girlfriend yet.”

“Hm?”

Wen Zhixia’s willow-leaf eyebrows shot up, and her phoenix eyes widened.

“Cough, cough! Alright, let’s talk about serious business.” Zhou Buqi quickly changed the subject. “Teacher Wen, all the contract documents are here. Please help me organize them, make a copy, and also get the relevant certifications from the school.”

“What for?”

“For the bank! You don’t think the bank will just give me this money so easily, do you?”

Steve said that the one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars would arrive within three days.

However, this didn’t mean Zhou Buqi would have a huge sum of money three days later.

National laws stipulate that personal transfers exceeding two hundred thousand yuan are considered extremely large amounts and will attract the attention of various departments such as banks, economic investigation, national security, and taxation.

If it’s an international transfer, it receives even higher scrutiny.

Zhou Buqi needed to submit corresponding documents to prove the source of the funds before they could truly be unfrozen. Otherwise, it would be considered a huge sum of unknown origin, which could lead to confiscation in minor cases or imprisonment in severe ones.

Given the efficiency of official processes, Zhou Buqi would be lucky to get the money within a week.

“Are you using me as a laborer?” Wen Zhixia said, gritting her teeth with resentment.

Zhou Buqi laughed loudly, “It’s fine, I’ll buy you candy later, brother!”

After speaking, he didn’t dare to look at her furious expression and quickly slipped away.

At the school’s West Gate, Zhou Buqi saw Guo Pengfei, Liu Wenbo, and Xue Baoshan. Everyone had their respective documents ready to go for industrial and commercial registration.

The current business environment was quite chaotic. For chain stores, in addition to registering a company business license, each individual store also needed its own business license.

Since it was in the catering industry, they also needed a food hygiene permit from the Health and Wellness Commission and employee health certificates.

Fortunately, top universities had significant power, with their own cultural and health departments that could issue certificates themselves.

This saved Zhou Buqi a lot of trouble, and they should be able to get it done in one morning.

On the way, Xue Baoshan quietly said, “When I went to the school to get the certificate, I heard some things.”

“Oh?”

“This incident caused quite a stir. The school is going to remove the head of the Logistics Office.”

“It’s deserved for taking bribes and extorting money.”

“But we also made a mistake.”

“Hm?”

Zhou Buqi widened his eyes, turned to look at her, “What do you mean?”

Xue Baoshan said, “We trashed the store, that’s a fact.”

Zhou Buqi sneered, “What? Does your school want to punish us?”

Xue Baoshan shook her head and said calmly, “It won’t go that far, but the outcome we expected might not happen. The school will only compensate us ten thousand yuan for renovation costs.”

Guo Pengfei exclaimed in surprise, “Compensated ten thousand yuan for renovation? Isn’t that enough? I remember you said the renovation only cost a little over four thousand, right? Isn’t this a profit?”

Xue Baoshan said, “But it delayed my opening time, and I suffered emotional distress.”

Guo Pengfei almost fainted.

He felt that Xue Baoshan was truly unreasonable and difficult. Wasn’t this level of compensation enough?

Regarding the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident, Liu Wenbo refused to comment and listened silently.

Zhou Buqi smiled. He actually found Little Sister Bao very cute and someone who could achieve great things. He asked her, “What do you want?”

Xue Baoshan said softly, “This store of ours was a huge benefit given by the head of the Logistics Office to his brother-in-law using his power. We spent two hundred and fifty thousand yuan to sublease it from his brother-in-law. In fact, the store belongs to the school and has nothing to do with his brother-in-law.”

Guo Pengfei immediately reacted, his mouth wide open, “You want to tear up the contract?”

Xue Baoshan said calmly, “That was an invalid contract; it shouldn’t have existed in the first place.”

Well, she truly had a ruthless heart!

This was truly discarding someone after they’ve served their purpose!

Buying the store from the leader’s brother-in-law with an installment contract, and then filing a lawsuit claiming the contract was invalid… this tactic was truly masterful.

Zhou Buqi looked at her with a smile, “What do you think should be done?”

Xue Baoshan said, “We should exert a second wave of influence on the school.”

“How do we exert it?”

“I don’t know, you’re the Boss, Student Zhou!”

“Haha!”

Zhou Buqi laughed twice, feeling even more that Little Sister Bao was an extraordinary woman. He said confidently, “Easy!”

“We can’t cause any more trouble.”

Liu Wenbo was startled and, ignoring everything else, quickly tried to dissuade him.

“Of course not.” Zhou Buqi stretched, “We are standing at the tailwind of the era, setting a benchmark. If we wanted to fall, the country wouldn’t even allow it.”

“Student Zhou, what should I do?”

“Later, I’ll give you a magazine. You take the magazine and the contract to the school leadership. As long as they’re not too incompetent, they’ll understand the situation.”

“What magazine?”

“China Food.”

…

There were still some finishing touches for the registration, which they could handle.

In the afternoon, Zhou Buqi called Meng Houkun, and they set off again.

This time, it was to the Changping Shuitun Agricultural and Sideline Products Wholesale Market.

They walked for an entire afternoon, negotiating with over twenty fruit suppliers. Zhou Buqi even brought the China Food magazine and some materials about Yuanwei milk tea shop, but none of it had any effect.

Most of these suppliers were uneducated and couldn’t think long-term.

In short, the negotiations were very difficult!

Around four in the afternoon, the two of them boarded a bus for the return journey. Meng Houkun was parched, and his face showed a hint of dejection.

Building a supply chain was not easy!

“Don’t be discouraged.” Zhou Buqi’s mindset was very calm, and he comforted him kindly.

“How about…” Meng Houkun hesitated for a long time, then lowered his voice, “How about I tell my dad?”

His father worked in a government ministry, in his forties, with a promising future.

Zhou Buqi had initially brought him in mainly because of his background. If the company had to deal with official matters in the future, this connection could be useful.

“No need. If we can’t even solve such a small matter, what’s the point of starting a business?” Zhou Buqi pouted and flatly refused. “Besides, if we really can’t find suppliers, we can just buy directly from the school’s fruit shops. It’s simpler and less trouble.”

The bus was bumpy, and the two of them sat in the last row, swaying until they felt dizzy.

After a long while, Meng Houkun suddenly said, “Boss Zhou, there’s something I need your advice on.”

“Sure.”

“I have a girlfriend, she’s also from China Agricultural University, studying international trade. Since I’m out here starting a business with you, she can’t sit still either.”

“That’s fine. When our milk tea shop opens at China Agricultural University later, she can help out.”

“No, no, she has bigger ambitions.”

“Ah?” Zhou Buqi chuckled.

Meng Houkun said, “She came up with a project herself and found seven or eight classmates, all girls, and they plan to do it themselves.”

Zhou Buqi asked, “What kind of project?”

“Discount cards.”

“Oh?”

“There are many universities around Wudaokou: Beijing Forestry University, China Agricultural University, China University of Mining and Technology, University of Science and Technology, Beihang University, China University of Geosciences, Beijing Language and Culture University, and the Peking University Health Science Center and Tsinghua University. There’s a huge student consumer base here.”

“Mm.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, already understanding what the discount card project meant. He said, “Many shops have their own discount cards and loyalty cards, which means students need to carry all sorts of cards when they go out to spend money, which is very inconvenient.”

Meng Houkun excitedly said, “Exactly, that’s the idea. She wants to integrate restaurants, gyms, clothing stores, cold drink shops, barbershops, bookstores, massage parlors, and other businesses, and launch a joint discount card applicable to most shops. She’s even named it the ‘Wudaokou University Joint Purchase Card’.”

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “It has some thought.”

Seeing his calm expression, Meng Houkun’s heart sank. “Boss Zhou, is this project no good? I think it’s quite… quite creative, and somewhat feasible.”

Zhou Buqi then advised, “If your girlfriend just wants to gain practical experience and train her abilities, it’s pretty good. But… let’s put it this way, a discount card limited to the Wudaokou area alone won’t find a sustainable profit model at all.”

“Really?”

“One card costs three mao, sells for ten yuan. After selling to a few universities, two or three thousand cards is the limit. This is a one-time consumption, lacking imagination.”

“Can’t they get kickbacks from merchants?”

“This is Wudaokou, where land prices are extremely high, and it’s aimed at students, so the profit margin itself is limited. If merchants have to pay kickbacks, the discount will definitely be small, which won’t attract students. More importantly, how do you guarantee the merchants’ credibility? What if they don’t acknowledge it, or underreport sales to give less kickback? In short, merchant maintenance and subsequent services have big problems.”

Meng Houkun said blankly, “Is that so?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “It’s good to have an entrepreneurial idea; just try it first. It’s not difficult to succeed, it’s easy to operate, merchants don’t need to pay franchise fees, and users are curious. It’s possible to earn enough for four years of university tuition. It’s just that the business model isn’t right; you need to broaden your thinking.”

“What’s the correct direction?”

“It shouldn’t just be based on shops in Wudaokou.”

“Then it should be?”

“Nationwide!”

Meng Houkun’s eyes widened in disbelief, “How is that possible?”

Zhou Buqi patted his shoulder, “In the future, the internet will rule the world. The internet will make everything impossible possible.”

Chapter 56: It’s Hard to Climb to the Clouds

A new day dawned, and Zhou Buqi continued to take Meng Houkun to the surrounding fruit wholesale markets. The two didn’t even eat lunch, working like two dogs, and returned in disarray at three in the afternoon.

It was impossible to negotiate.

Those fruit vendors didn’t care about prospects, future, or policies; they only cared about sales and money.

Unexpectedly, upon returning to school and eating in the cafeteria, Zhou Buqi received a call from his Counselor.

The Counselor was very excited and spoke of a major event.

The “Into University” program on the Education Channel was coming to interview Zhou Buqi, his Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, and the local-flavored fresh fruit milk tea brand, Yuanwei Milk Tea.

An hour later, Zhou Buqi received another unfamiliar call. The caller claimed to be a reporter from the Beijing Evening News and wanted to interview him.

A little while later, the Counselor called again, saying that the Youth Daily had also sent word, wanting an interview.

In short, with the release of China Food magazine, Yuanwei Milk Tea suddenly became popular.

Various media outlets made appointments one after another.

At this point, Zhou Buqi felt much more confident.

Once he appeared on television and was widely reported in newspapers, becoming a certain kind of public figure, wouldn’t dealing with the fruit suppliers be a piece of cake?

To be honest, Zhou Buqi didn’t want to become famous so early.

But for the sake of his career, he could only reluctantly dedicate himself.

The next day, Zhou Buqi stopped going to the market; it would be pointless. He had to wait for the media’s response.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly received a call from Principal Hu, who got straight to the point: “What’s going on with the media?”

His tone was somewhat serious.

Zhou Buqi cautiously replied, “These past few days, I’ve been in contact with the Capital Food Research Institute. They believe that the local flavors and local milk tea brand I’m promoting are very much in line with current national policy, so they might have contacted some media outlets.”

“This is not what you should be doing right now.” Principal Hu’s tone was heavy.

Zhou Buqi had a bad feeling.

Principal Hu paused, then warned, “You are still a student. Your actions should be low-key. I was very disappointed with you regarding the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident. This time, if the media really comes, I have two strict requirements for you. First, you cannot show your face on camera. Second, your name cannot be reported. This is not good for you.”

Zhou Buqi immediately said, “Principal Hu, I guarantee it!”

“Mm, you’re very mature, you should understand what I mean.” Principal Hu’s voice softened, no longer as stern as before. “How are your milk tea shops doing? When will they open?”

Zhou Buqi honestly replied, “Renovations will be completed before National Day, integration will be finished during the National Day holiday, and official opening will be after National Day. The three stores at Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Beijing Foreign Studies University will open simultaneously.”

“The University Student Union is preparing for the National Day Gala and Freshmen Welcome Gala, you know about that, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Spend some money, sponsor it, and make your milk tea shop’s brand shine. This is The Capital, and it’s a top-tier university. There will be close attention from all sides. The significance of this kind of gala is incomparable to freshmen welcome galas in other regions.”

Zhou Buqi reacted quickly and immediately guaranteed, “Principal Hu, I understand. Yuanwei Milk Tea will heavily sponsor all three galas at Beijing University of Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Beijing Foreign Studies University.”

“Not enough.”

“Please advise me.”

“Go and sponsor Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Renmin University of China as well.”

“No problem!”

Principal Hu was very satisfied with Zhou Buqi’s quick understanding and wisdom, feeling even more that he was a malleable talent. He continued to advise, “You must quickly open milk tea chain stores in those three universities.”

Zhou Buqi laughed, “Principal Hu, that’s exactly what I plan to do. Since it’s a university alliance, it’s not enough without a leader.”

Principal Hu said, “For the milk tea shops in those three universities, even if you have to lose money, you must boost their performance and set up their momentum. You know what I’m talking about.”

“I understand!”

Zhou Buqi took a deep breath, his voice firm and strong.

After hanging up the phone, he took another deep breath, a chill running down his spine.

In his previous life, he had a small steel trading business in the south. It was only after listening to Principal Hu’s words that he had a sudden realization.

The south was an economic center, while The Capital was a political center. Entrepreneurial thinking in the north and south could not be confused.

Some entrepreneurs in the north were stifled and couldn’t breathe, but once they went south, they left others far behind. Some entrepreneurs in the south were so poor they couldn’t even afford food, but when they came north, they were in their element and joined the ranks of the rich list.

“I almost made a big mistake!”

Zhou Buqi exhaled, still feeling a lingering fear.

He had almost been pushed to the clouds by Manager Liu from the research institute, which would have killed him.

If you want to stand on the clouds, how can you do it without a sufficiently strong foundation beneath your feet? Otherwise, you’ll fall to your death once you get up there.

To dance gracefully on the tailwind of the times, you need at least the strength of Nice or Haier before the country dares to openly show favoritism.

In the afternoon, Zhou Buqi, for a rare change, went to a classroom to attend a lecture.

Xue Baoshan called, saying she had arrived at Beijing University of Science and Technology.

They met at the campus coffee shop. Xue Baoshan’s delicate face was rosy, and she smiled, looking very happy.

“The matter is resolved?”

Every time Zhou Buqi saw her beautiful appearance and elegant demeanor, he felt a sense of pleasure.

Actually, upon closer inspection, Wu Yu’s looks were even better.

But Little Sister Bao’s well-bred young lady temperament, that inner quality of “a person with poetry and books in their heart naturally exudes grace,” was truly incomparable to ordinary girls.

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips into a smile, took a document from her bag, and pushed it over. “Look.”

It was a contract.

Party A was the Foreign Languages Institute, and the official seal was from the Beijing Foreign Studies University Logistics Office.

“Looks like it’s really settled.”

“Your magazine is powerful. I submitted the magazine yesterday, and the school stepped in this morning, saying that the school is not a real estate developer, school shops cannot be privately transferred, and they must conform to the school’s overall plan. The previous contract was illegal and invalid. They made me go to the Logistics Office to sign this new contract.”

“That saved another two hundred and fifty thousand!” Zhou Buqi exclaimed, “Little Sister Bao, you’re getting more and more amazing.”

Xue Baoshan’s elegant and refined snowy cheeks showed no excessive joy. She said calmly, “You taught me.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, hesitated for a moment, and seemed to want to speak but held back.

“Student Zhou, just say it if there’s something?” Xue Baoshan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a half-smile playing on her lips. “Are you short on money again?”

Zhou Buqi’s face looked sheepish and very awkward.

Previously, he had borrowed twenty thousand from Xue Baoshan to repay Liu Wenbo.

When registering the company, he spent over two thousand yuan, mainly because engraving official seals was too expensive, and he couldn’t do it himself; it had to be handled by the public security organs.

This made him feel very embarrassed.

Fortunately, it wouldn’t be long before the income from the domain name transaction could be used. The bank was currently reviewing the materials, and once approved, he could withdraw the money.

“Aren’t I your sister? It’s okay.” Xue Baoshan said very gently.

Zhou Buqi nodded, then said seriously, “Alright, when you go back to school, take twenty thousand yuan and give it to the milk tea shop at the supermarket. Talk to them nicely and tell them not to cause trouble at the school anymore. Let’s end this matter here.”

Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes sparkled like the North Star at night, her tone filled with undisguised admiration, “Student Zhou, you’re amazing.”

“Amazing where?”

“Amazing everywhere, very impressive.”

Zhou Buqi grinned, looking at her and winking, “Then do you want to date me?”

Xue Baoshan decisively refused, “No.”

“Why not?”

“You’re a Scumbag.”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

“Student Zhou, what’s wrong?”

“The coffee’s too hot!”

Chapter 57: House Hunting with Teacher Wen

Wen Zhixia proactively invited Zhou Buqi out.

“Has your money arrived?”

“Yes, the bank contacted me. They said I can withdraw the money tomorrow.”

“That’s good, quite efficient.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “It’s all thanks to Teacher Wen’s help.”

Wen Zhixia rolled her eyes at him and said softly, “Come with me.”

“Where to?”

“To look at a house.”

“You found one?”

“This area is full of universities, so housing is very scarce. If you see something suitable, you have to act fast, or it’ll be gone in a few days.”

Zhou Buqi’s thoughts were a bit jumbled. “What kind of house is it?”

Wen Zhixia said, “Xuezhi Community, two bedrooms and one living room. It comes with furniture and appliances, so you can move in with just your bags. It’s very suitable for students.”

“Oh, I see…” Zhou Buqi pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, “What about you? Have you found your studio apartment?”

Wen Zhixia shook her head bitterly.

“Doesn’t our school have staff housing? Didn’t they assign you a dorm?” Zhou Buqi asked curiously.

Wen Zhixia paused, then said softly, “I don’t like living with others. We’re all adults, it’s inconvenient.”

Zhou Buqi almost burst out laughing, feigning confusion. “What do you mean? Why is it inconvenient for adults?”

Wen Zhixia’s face hardened, and she glared at him fiercely. “I’ve never seen such a jerk of a student like you.”

“And I’ve never seen such a beautiful teacher like you,” Zhou Buqi said smugly.

Wen Zhixia’s heart skipped a beat. She forced herself to remain calm and said coldly, “If you talk nonsense again, you can go find a house yourself!”

“Just kidding, don’t be angry.” Zhou Buqi apologized feigning sincerity, secretly glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

Unexpectedly, she caught him immediately. “What are you staring at? You look shifty!”

Zhou Buqi said frankly, “I was checking if you were really angry.”

“You just need to be more honest, that’s better than anything!”

Wen Zhixia felt a little nervous and said fiercely.

Zhou Buqi stopped joking with her and talked about some school matters.

He skipped classes every day, so he would definitely fail the final exams. Would he fail a course?

Wen Zhixia thought for a long time, and finally gave up her teacher’s dignity, quietly telling him, “Actually, it’s very easy not to fail a course.”

“How?”

“University transcripts are divided into two processes. One is the lecturer, and the other is the Academic Affairs Office. For the lecturer, it’s usually a comprehensive consideration of daily performance and final exam scores. For example, if you get 55 points on the final exam, just shy of passing, the lecturer can add points based on your daily performance to reach 60 points, which is a pass.”

Zhou Buqi suddenly realized, “No wonder there are almost no scores in the 50s in university. So, scores in the 50s can be bumped up to passing. Does that mean some students with strong connections to their lecturers can pass even with thirty or forty points?”

Wen Zhixia’s face flushed. After all, she was also a lecturer. She nodded awkwardly, “More or less. Students’ grades are usually raised by the lecturers. The final exam score is just a reference.”

Zhou Buqi had a headache. “But there are so many lecturers? I can’t possibly deal with them one by one, can I? Even dealing with you is so troublesome!”

“If you talk nonsense again, don’t come looking for me anymore!”

Wen Zhixia was furious, her tone very stern.

Zhou Buqi looked wronged. “I was talking about grades, grades, Teacher Wen. You really misunderstood.”

Wen Zhixia snorted and continued the previous topic, saying indifferently, “With so many course instructors, it’s indeed difficult to manage relationships with all of them. However, student transcripts are ultimately issued by the Academic Affairs Office. Student grades are reported by the course instructors to the Academic Affairs Office, which then comprehensively considers various factors. Students who have received disciplinary action will have points deducted, and students with outstanding performance will have points added. After integration, that is the final grade.”

Zhou Buqi immediately understood what she meant.

The final grade depends on the Academic Affairs Office!

“No wonder so many second-generation elites spend their school days eating, drinking, and having fun, yet always graduate with excellent grades and can easily get a recommendation for postgraduate studies.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Wen Zhixia rolled her eyes at him.

Zhou Buqi smiled, now feeling confident.

Xuezhi Community was not too far from the school.

It was a relatively new residential complex with elevator buildings.

The apartment was on the 16th floor.

After notifying the landlord, they took the elevator up.

It was an apartment of over 90 square meters, exquisitely decorated, fully furnished with appliances and furniture, and relatively new.

The landlord had bought the apartment three years ago for their marriage. Now they had a child and had brought their parents to The Capital, so they planned to move to a larger house.

Zhou Buqi asked curiously, “Since you’re moving to a bigger house, why not sell this one?”

The landlord smiled and replied, “This is a school district property. I’ll rent it out for a few years and wait for it to appreciate in value.”

Indeed, anyone who could afford a house in The Capital and bring their parents over these days must be shrewd.

Zhou Buqi looked around each room in the apartment and was quite satisfied.

The landlord clearly looked like a high-level intellectual; the decoration was tasteful, the layout was good, and it was spotlessly clean.

You could truly move in with just your bags.

“My apartment has been listed for rent for half a month, and I’ve seen over twenty potential tenants, all of whom I’ve rejected. This apartment will be sold in the future, and if I rent it to those people… it’ll be ruined in no time. You two are students living together, right? I can be flexible with the rent, as long as you both take good care of my place.” The landlord was very cultured and sincere in their attitude.

Wen Zhixia’s face immediately turned bright red. “No, we’re not…”

“Haha.”

Zhou Buqi laughed twice, then told the landlord, “Renting a house isn’t a small matter. We need to discuss it.”

The landlord understood and said they would go to the bedroom to tidy up, leaving the living room to the two of them.

Wen Zhixia glared at him coldly.

Zhou Buqi looked innocent and said with a smile, “Their misunderstanding just proves that you’re young and beautiful, like a university student, doesn’t it?”

“Let me tell you, don’t let your imagination run wild!”

“How could I?”

Zhou Buqi said righteously and seriously, “Teacher Wen, what do you think of the decoration in this room?”

“It’s alright.”

“Hmm, I always feel like something’s missing.”

Wen Zhixia looked around the living room and said softly, “Hmm, if there were a flower arrangement here, and the leather sofa isn’t quite suitable, a fabric one would be better.”

“Indeed! Great minds think alike!” Zhou Buqi agreed deeply, pointing to the television. “This home theater system takes up too much space and isn’t very useful. If you ask me, we should just remove it to make the room brighter.”

Wen Zhixia smiled, “I think so too. We could save space and put a bookshelf. Since there’s no study, we might as well make the living room a bit more cultured.”

Zhou Buqi stroked his chin and nodded emphatically. “Hmm, that makes sense! In the startup phase, who has time to watch TV? Reading more books is the way to go.”

“Right, put a glass coffee table here, two wooden rocking chairs, and a wine cabinet in the corner with a few bottles of red wine, that would be even more stylish.” Wen Zhixia’s eyes sparkled.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “Alright, it’s settled then! I’ll take this apartment!”

Wen Zhixia looked at him amusedly. “The landlord already said not to cause damage, or they won’t rent it!”

The next day, Zhou Buqi woke up early to participate in the morning run.

This was a mandatory requirement for freshmen at Beike University; they had to participate, and counselors would be present to supervise.

Zhou Buqi walked beside Wang Dalong, who had a bitter expression, comforting him with a few words now and then.

Something happened last night!

After lights out last night, Wang Dalong went out to run a power cable again. As a result, a patrolling teacher discovered him, confiscated a power strip dozens of meters long, and reported him to the counselor.

He might even receive a disciplinary action!

Once he received a disciplinary action, he would be completely out of the running for a recommendation for postgraduate studies and school-level honors.

Wang Dalong was very flustered now, his legs turning to jelly as he looked at the counselor standing by the track, supervising.

“It’s not a big deal. I’ll go talk to the counselor for you in a bit.”

“Will that work?”

Wang Dalong looked distraught, not quite believing him.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “Dorm leader, just focus on running. Leave it to me.”

Wang Dalong loudly declared, “Zhou Buqi, if you can solve this for me, you’ll be my master!”

“Oh, come on!”

Zhou Buqi stumbled, almost falling flat.

After the morning run, Zhou Buqi went to find the counselor.

The counselor had always been very polite to him, but this time, his expression was somewhat melancholic. He said sadly, “Zhou Buqi, this matter is a bit of a shame…”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was stunned. What was a shame? Could it be that Wang Dalong’s disciplinary action had already been reported, and what was done was done?

The counselor continued, “Last night, I received a notice from the school, likely from the education sector. It stated that media reports on university student entrepreneurship should be cautious and not overly promoted. There should be proper guidance for university students during their time at school, and entrepreneurial guidance should only be given to a few outstanding students.”

The meaning of these words was very clear: during their time at university, students’ primary duty was to study.

Only a few geniuses could tentatively venture into entrepreneurship; most students should honestly stick to their books and not put the cart before the horse.

If the entrepreneurial deeds of university students were overly promoted, it would cause internal fluctuations among current university students, possibly even triggering a startup boom, which would be detrimental to educational stability.

Zhou Buqi immediately thought of Principal Hu’s phone call that day and his admonition.

Indeed, old ginger is spicier; his intuition is truly keen!

In comparison, Manager Liu from the research institute, his insight was far from adequate.

The counselor was similar, sighing repeatedly, seemingly feeling that it was a huge pity his student couldn’t appear on television or in newspapers this time.

Zhou Buqi, having been forewarned, immediately stated, “Counselor, I firmly support all of the school’s decisions. I’m still young; there will be plenty of opportunities to be reported by the media in the future.”

The counselor’s eyes widened in astonishment, greatly surprised.

He felt that this young student was truly unique. He could discard an opportunity to set a benchmark like it was nothing?

Do you know what this represents?

You’ve stepped firmly, accurately, and decisively into the tailwind of this great era. Once the publicity is in place and you’re established as a benchmark, perhaps next year you could represent university students at the Two Sessions!

Zhou Buqi didn’t mind, and whispered, “Counselor, recently I’ve been busy with classes during the day, so I can only explore entrepreneurial ideas at night. But the power gets cut at midnight every night, so our dorm ran a cable to the laundry room.”

The counselor frowned, glancing at him. “How come I heard it was Wang Dalong?”

“Counselor…” Zhou Buqi smiled and winked.

The counselor had no choice but to wave his hand. “Alright, don’t let it happen again!”

Chapter 58: No Obstacle Is Insurmountable

As expected, Zhou Buqi soon received a call from Manager Liu of the research institute.

“Little brother, something unexpected has come up with this matter.”

“Oh?”

“The city’s official documents have been sent to the institute, stating that the current focus is on economic development, with stability overriding all else. Ultimately, economic stability is the top priority. It requires reducing market conflicts and, while supporting the rise of local brands, also not harming the investment enthusiasm of foreign brands.”

Zhou Buqi understood, and asked with a smile, “So, Pearl Milk Tea can’t be criticized anymore?”

Manager Liu said, “It’s not that it can’t be, an occasional one or two unofficial reports won’t hurt. But… how should I put it, we’ve joined the WTO, so the market economy needs to be fair. National brands need to strengthen themselves and can’t rely too much on official favoritism, you know what I mean, right?”

“So, there won’t be any media reports about Yuanwei milk tea?”

“Uh, at least not in the near future. The magazine agency was criticized; that article was a bit too aggressive and not objective enough.”

“I see. Are the five thousand copies of the magazine we ordered still available?”

“Yes! I’ve asked, the wholesale price is three yuan a copy.”

Zhou Buqi sneered.

Manager Liu’s vision was truly narrow.

The ins and outs of the publishing industry were no secret; wholesale prices usually didn’t exceed fifty percent of the retail price, to leave enough profit margin for distributors. The retail price of China Food magazine was four point five yuan, so the ex-factory price was around two yuan.

Manager Liu was still trying to make a small profit.

However, Zhou Buqi didn’t care.

The research institute hadn’t charged for the milk tea recipe’s research and development, so this money would cover it.

“Alright then, I won’t ask for any invoices. I’ll just come to you directly to pick up the goods when the time comes,” Zhou Buqi said with a chuckle.

“No problem!”

Manager Liu was very satisfied with his attitude.

After ending the call, Zhou Buqi sighed deeply.

The path of entrepreneurship was truly winding and full of twists.

He had intended to keep a low profile, but suddenly he was about to become famous.

He had thought he would be on TV and in newspapers, but then a notice came down, and everything was canceled.

Yuanwei milk tea was not suitable for public reporting; the subtext was that it was on an internal list. As long as he followed Principal Hu’s guidance and established a positive image, he might be able to turn decay into wonder and pave the way for future career development.

Hmm, it’s a good thing!

The only trouble was, without public promotion, what would happen to the milk tea shop’s fruit supply chain?

Zhou Buqi had no solution for those fruit vendors.

Never mind, let’s take it one step at a time. No obstacle is insurmountable.

The good news was that the money from his sale of the Reddit.com domain name had finally passed review.

One hundred fifty thousand US dollars!

At the current exchange rate, it could be exchanged for one point two three million yuan.

More importantly, after Zhou Buqi’s investigation over the past few days, he learned that current domain name transactions were tax-exempt.

Why no tax?

It wasn’t until 2017 that the state officially recognized domain names as legal assets, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of domain name owners and imposing value-added tax on domain name transactions.

In other words, currently in China, domain names were considered ‘illegal assets’ and were not subject to legal frameworks.

If a domain name was stolen, and you called the police? Sorry, the police wouldn’t accept the case.

Similarly, domain name transactions were not within tax planning.

Even if tax were to be paid, how would an invoice be issued?

Would they issue illegal invoices?

This was undoubtedly good news for Zhou Buqi.

“No wonder domain name tycoons like Cai Wensheng, Yao Jingbo, and Ding Haisen achieved financial freedom so early; domain name transactions weren’t taxed. If they really had to pay twenty percent or even forty-five percent in income tax, the money they earned probably wouldn’t even be enough to maintain those tens of thousands of domain names.”

Zhou Buqi went to the bank, exchanged the currency, and transferred it from the Bank of China to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Then, he called the Landlord of Xuezhi Community.

“I don’t want to rent the house anymore.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I want to buy it.”

“Don’t joke, that would require…”

“Six hundred fifty thousand yuan, is that enough?”

Zhou Buqi gathered everyone from the Entrepreneurship Alliance again.

He was going to assign tasks.

However, before he could speak, Liu Wenbo spoke first, saying with a concerned expression, “Boss Zhou, I heard the supply chain issue hasn’t been resolved yet?”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded, “Hmm, the fruit vendors are difficult to deal with.”

Liu Wenbo said, “This won’t do. Beike University and Beijing Institute of Technology are almost done with their renovations. Beijing Foreign Studies University is a bit slower, but they’re working overtime and should be finished by the end of the month. We’re about to open, so the supply chain needs to be resolved quickly!”

Meng Houkun, sitting on the right, suddenly spoke, “Boss Zhou and I are handling it.”

Liu Wenbo sighed, shook his head, and said solemnly, “Time waits for no one! How about this, let me handle this matter?”

Meng Houkun’s expression turned quite displeased.

What did that mean?

You’re going to take over something Boss Zhou and I couldn’t solve?

Wasn’t that clearly telling everyone that his ability was stronger than Boss Zhou’s and his own?

Was this a provocation?

Zhou Buqi seemed unconcerned, smiling, “No, that won’t be necessary. I’ve already made arrangements on my end.”

“Made arrangements?” Liu Wenbo was slightly stunned, very surprised.

Meng Houkun’s heart, however, skipped a beat.

He had been running around with Boss Zhou for two whole days, exhausted like a dog.

If Boss Zhou could solve it, he would have done it long ago. Would he need to wait until now?

Was this a last-ditch effort?

It seemed managing a business team was also quite vexing and complex. He’d have to find a chance to talk to his dad and learn from him when he got home.

“Alright, that matter is settled. I called everyone here today because there are tasks to assign.”

Zhou Buqi made a downward pressing gesture, drawing everyone’s attention, and slowly said, “As far as I know, besides Beijing Dance Academy, all other schools are holding National Day Galas. Zian, you’ve been in charge of the University Student Union for years. Tell me, if we want to sponsor these galas, how much money would we need?”

Ji Zian said, “It wouldn’t take too much. For Renmin University of China, one thousand yuan would be enough for a banner. Other schools should be similar.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, “Most galas are held at night. A red banner with white text like that would have limited impact.”

Ji Zian asked in surprise, “Boss Zhou, what do you mean?”

Zhou Buqi said, “I want to erect a large Yuanwei milk tea sign in the most prominent spot at the gala. And it needs to have lights, or be coated with reflective material—it needs to be eye-catching and dazzling.”

Ji Zian exclaimed, “That would cost a lot of money! The cost would be at least three thousand yuan!”

“This expenditure is necessary,” Zhou Buqi said calmly.

Liu Wenbo was incredulous, “Even excluding Beijing Dance Academy, that’s nine other schools… Boss Zhou, where did you get so much money?”

This was normal; everyone looked worried.

Zhou Buqi said with a smile, “As I said, I’ll handle the funding. And it’s not nine universities. How about this: Tsinghua University, Peking University, Renmin University of China, plus Beijing Institute of Technology, Beike University, and Beijing Foreign Studies University—those three schools will have the grand displays. For the other schools, a simple sponsorship and a banner will suffice.”

“We don’t have anyone from Tsinghua University,” Liu Wenbo didn’t understand Zhou Buqi’s deeper meaning.

Zhou Buqi said, “Tsinghua University is the top-tier institution after all, so let’s advertise there first. Alright, this matter is settled. Zian, I’ll leave Tsinghua University to you to manage. Any problems?”

Ji Zian said, “As long as the funds are in place, at least… at least five thousand yuan.”

“No problem!” Zhou Buqi waved his hand. “Senior Sister Zhen, send me your bank account later. I’ll transfer the money to you, and then you can arrange everything.”

Zhen Yu was slightly stunned, a little disbelieving.

She was a second-year graduate student this year, five years older than Zhou Buqi, and studied at the relatively distant Central University of Finance and Economics. Coupled with various personal reasons, she usually wasn’t very sociable.

She hadn’t expected to suddenly be entrusted with such an important task.

Was this about managing finances?

“Senior Sister Zhen?”

Zhou Buqi looked at her with a smile.

Zhen Yu bit her lip, took a deep breath, and said, “If you trust me, I’ll do it for you.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Senior Sister Zhen, we’re a team, of course I trust you. I’ve noticed you don’t interact much with everyone usually. Do you have something on your mind? You’ve been looking down. I don’t know if I’m right. Take this opportunity to communicate and interact more with everyone; maybe it’ll cheer you up? We’re still young, what obstacle is insurmountable?”

Zhen Yu’s eyes reddened, and tears almost welled up.

Chapter 59: Domain Name Business Kicks Off

Zhou Buqi spent money incredibly fast.

After receiving one million two hundred thirty thousand yuan, he first repaid Guo Pengfei and Xue Baoshan.

Then, with a grand flourish, he wrote down over five hundred new domain names.

Some domains were to fill in the gaps and make up for what was missing, while others were simply fabricated out of thin air.

There was no other way; the domains he applied for last time were all too important.

Every single one of them would become a star of the future internet.

If others discovered that all the domains he applied for could sell for exorbitant prices, they would definitely find it strange. It was necessary to register some junk domains to make up the numbers and confuse people.

This would reduce others’ suspicions about him and make his success seem less astonishing.

After all, other domain name tycoons held tens of thousands of domains with extremely low transaction rates; he needed to keep a low profile and appear unassuming.

The domain registration task was handed to Guo Pengfei, costing a full one hundred sixty thousand yuan.

This was still small change.

Zhou Buqi met with the Landlord. After half an hour of discussion in a teahouse, they reached an agreement.

The 92-square-meter apartment building with an elevator in Xuezhi Community was sold to Zhou Buqi for six hundred eighty thousand yuan.

Currently, the average housing price around the North Fourth Ring Road was 6,500 yuan per square meter.

This apartment was close to the university district, so prices were slightly higher.

Transferring the property and simple renovations would also cost money.

Within a few days, Zhou Buqi only had three hundred thousand yuan left in his account.

In truth, financial expenditures were nothing to Zhou Buqi; what worried him was the fruit supply chain.

The end of the month was fast approaching.

The two stores at Beike University and Beijing Institute of Technology had already completed their renovations, and the milk tea shop at Beijing Foreign Studies University was also nearing completion. Currently, equipment, raw materials, and recipes were all ready, just waiting to be moved into the stores.

One could say, everything was ready, except for the fruit.

While eating dinner in the cafeteria that evening, Guo Pengfei cautiously suggested, “If it really doesn’t work out, we can just buy some from nearby fruit stores. It’s only three shops, so it won’t cost much more anyway.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, “It’s not about the money; it’s about cohesion. If we can sort out the entire supply chain before opening, it will greatly boost our team’s confidence, not to mention Liu Wenbo.”

Guo Pengfei sighed, “Liu Wenbo has ability, it’s just… he’s a bit too calculating.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Forget it, don’t worry about him. We’ll just do our part. Even if he has ideas, he won’t get a chance to show them. Tomorrow, let’s call Baoshan and Baihui, and we’ll go to the fruit wholesale market again.”

“That’s the only way then.”

Guo Pengfei nodded, a hint of worry on his face.

Building a cohesive startup team truly wasn’t easy.

“Are the domains all sorted?” Zhou Buqi waved his hand, changing the subject.

Guo Pengfei said with a bitter expression, “Hundreds of domains, how could they be sorted out that quickly? My three dorm mates are all helping me; it’ll take at least three all-nighters.”

“Alright, I’ll give them some compensation later.”

“No need, I’ll just treat them to a meal.”

“Wait, you said all-nighters? Your dorm doesn’t have a power cut at night?” Zhou Buqi asked, surprised as something occurred to him.

Guo Pengfei chuckled, “It does, but there’s a solution.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head gently, “Our dorm also bought a power strip tens of meters long and connected it to the laundry room, but it was discovered and confiscated.”

“Haha!”

Guo Pengfei burst into laughter, a smug look on his face.

“Hmm? What’s going on?” Zhou Buqi sensed something was off.

Guo Pengfei shook his head, “Don’t forget what our major is. Wiring electricity… that’s too amateurish.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhou Buqi looked bewildered.

Guo Pengfei said, “Have you ever tried? If the water heater, hairdryer, and other appliances in the dorm are all on at the same time, the circuit breaker will trip.”

Zhou Buqi replied, “Yes, the power is too high, and it restores after five minutes.”

Guo Pengfei said, “Exactly, that’s circuit design. Haven’t you seen media reports about students at a certain university using immersion heaters in their dorms, causing a short circuit, a big fire, and several deaths?”

Zhou Buqi’s expression turned serious, “There was such an incident. Hmm, now that you mention it, that makes a lot of sense. Our school’s circuit design sets a maximum power threshold; once it’s exceeded, the power is cut, which greatly protects students’ electricity safety.”

“Oh? You actually understand quite a bit?” Guo Pengfei looked at him teasingly.

Zhou Buqi retorted, annoyed, “Isn’t that just common sense?”

Guo Pengfei pouted, “Alright then, I’ll write down some common sense for you and see if you can understand it.”

With that, he took out a pen and paper from his bag and wrote down two lines of code.

First line: if(m>LIMIT){disconnect();set_timeout(5min,reconnect())};

Second line: if(cur_time==24)disconnect();

Zhou Buqi felt a headache coming on.

Guo Pengfei grinned at him, “Can you understand it? This is just simplified pseudocode. If you understand this, you can use electricity all night.”

Zhou Buqi frowned, staring intently for a moment, then tentatively said, “An ‘if’ conditional statement, right? The first line should be what I just said: when power ‘m’ exceeds the ‘LIMIT’ threshold, it automatically cuts power for five minutes. ‘Disconnect’ means to break the connection.”

Guo Pengfei’s eyes widened, “Holy crap! You can actually understand it?”

“They’re English words, very simple logical analysis.”

“What about the second line?”

“24 means 12 AM, right? When the time reaches 12 AM, it disconnects, breaking the connection. That’s why our dorms have a power cut at midnight.”

“Amazing!”

Guo Pengfei gave him a thumbs up.

Zhou Buqi looked at it for a while longer, then shook his head, “As for how to use electricity all night, I still don’t see it.”

Guo Pengfei chuckled, “This is a bug left by the circuit designer’s laziness back then; they didn’t set up a ‘while’ statement…”

“Don’t give me that nonsense, just tell me how to do it!”

“Let me explain, listen up. Both lines of code have ‘disconnect’. Because there’s no external ‘while’ loop, this means the code executes only once. When the first line of code executes ‘disconnect’, the entire circuit enters a ‘disconnect’ state. If the second line of code tries to execute while it’s in that ‘disconnect’ state within five minutes, then the second line of code becomes ineffective.”

Zhou Buqi immediately understood something, “You mean when the entire circuit is in a ‘disconnect’ state, the second line of code can’t execute?”

“Of course! The circuit is already disconnected, how can it disconnect again?” Guo Pengfei said with a grin.

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes, slowly nodded, and said, “So, that means five minutes before the lights go out, we make the dorm’s power exceed the threshold, executing the first line of code to cut power. Then, when 12 AM arrives, the second line of code won’t execute. Once the five minutes are up, the dorm’s power will be restored?”

“Exactly!”

Guo Pengfei admired him greatly.

For an amateur to be able to deduce the meaning of these two lines of code through his own logical analysis, his comprehension was indeed very strong.

That night, Zhou Buqi returned to his dorm to conduct the experiment.

At 11:56 PM, the entire dorm mobilized.

The water heater was turned on, the hairdryer started, the electric blanket was brought out, two computers ran simultaneously… Finally, with a ‘ding’ sound, the dorm fell silent.

The power was too high, so the power cut occurred.

Wang Dalong excitedly went to the corridor to observe the situation in other dorms.

Before long, 12 AM arrived, and all other dorms went dark.

After another two minutes, power was restored to Dorm Room 205.

“Holy crap! It actually worked!”

Wang Dalong let out an excited roar, and Yan Xinlei was also waving his arms and legs in excitement.

Zhou Buqi was very pleased, rubbing his hands together, “Alright, that’s how we’ll do it from now on. No need to run wires anymore. Everyone, keep a low profile, don’t let other dorms find out.”

“Right, right, right!”

Wang Dalong nodded repeatedly in agreement, then shamelessly leaned forward, “Old Zhou, can I play on your computer for a bit? Yan and I want to play a few rounds of games.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Sure, I’ll give it to you after I check my emails.”

Since they were all dorm mates, he was never stingy.

Logging into his MSN Messenger inbox, he found seven unread emails.

One was from Steve in the United States, expressing joy and gratitude for the successful transaction.

Four were spam emails.

And two more… were emails in Chinese characters.

Zhou Buqi was so nervous he almost forgot to breathe. Opening the emails, his heart immediately surged.

Stacks of gleaming silver, here they come again!

This was another email requesting to purchase a domain name.

The sender’s surname was Zhuang. He was currently working in the United States, leading the design and development of the World Bank’s intranet system. With the end of the dot-com bubble, the internet had regained its vitality, and he wanted to return to China to start a business, establishing a Chinese online travel website called Qunar.com.

He wanted to purchase the qunar.com domain name.

For Zhou Buqi, the best outcome would naturally be to invest in Qunar.com with the domain name, which would yield hundreds or thousands of times the return in the future.

However, he also knew this was impossible.

Someone who gave up an executive position at a world-class large company to return to China to start a business, with such grand ambitions, wouldn’t possibly bring along a university student they had never met before.

In other words, Zhou Buqi didn’t have that qualification yet.

He clearly understood his current position, so he didn’t dwell on it much and immediately replied to the email: “We can talk, two hundred thousand yuan.”

Then he looked at the last email… Oh!

It was another request to purchase a domain name.

Zhou Buqi excitedly punched the air three times.

As soon as the domain name business kicked off, customers were truly coming one after another!

Opening the email, he saw that the other party was also requesting to purchase the domain name of a well-known major website—Ganjij.com.

The sender’s surname was Fang, named Fang Yue. According to him, they were a few friends starting a business together. The decision-maker was currently seeking investment in the United States and had not yet returned to China. His current task was to acquire the domain name first.

He also mentioned in the email that he was in Yanjing, a local resident, and if possible, to leave a phone number so they could discuss in person.

Zhou Buqi stared at this email for a long time.

The decision-maker was looking for investment in the US, so what was Fang Yue’s role here?

Most likely, it was because he was a local!

Ganjij.com, that was a classifieds website! Since they were starting a business in Yanjing, they absolutely needed to secure enough merchant resources in The Capital. It seemed this Fang Yue had connections in that area.

Zhou Buqi immediately thought of the milk tea shop’s fruit supply chain problem, and hope flickered in his eyes. He emailed his phone number to the other party, adding a line: “I’m studying at Beike University, and I’m free tomorrow.”

Chapter 60: The Relationship Line is Also Making Great Progress!

Zhou Buqi met Fang Yue at a small cafe outside the school.

He looked quite young, in his thirties or forties.

Fang Yue was surprised by Zhou Buqi’s age. “When I was in college, I didn’t even know what a domain name was. How many domain names do you have?”

“Over six hundred.”

“Impressive.”

Fang Yue exclaimed in admiration.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Brother Fang, let’s talk about the price. To be honest, I just sold a domain name a few days ago.”

“Oh? To whom?”

“Steve Hoffman.”

“Who?”

Fang Yue was stunned. “An American?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Yes, he just graduated from the University of Virginia this year and is going to Silicon Valley to start a business, so he bought a domain name from me.”

“What was the transaction price?”

“One hundred and fifty thousand US dollars.”

“Hiss!”

Fang Yue gasped, his eyes widening in shock as he looked at him.

Are young college students nowadays all so formidable?

He’s only a freshman, and he’s already about to become a domain name tycoon in the country?

Besides his shock, Fang Yue gave a wry smile. “Little Zhou, I’ll be honest with you, we can’t afford that much. Old Yang from our team is currently in the US looking for funding, borrowing and seeking sponsorships, and he’s only managed to scrape together over eighty thousand US dollars. According to his plan, once he raises one hundred thousand US dollars, he’ll return to China and officially launch the website.”

Their total startup capital was only one hundred thousand US dollars, and Zhou Buqi sold one domain name for one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars. How could they compare?

Zhou Buqi knew the market. Domain name prices in China were much lower than in Silicon Valley, so he quoted a price of two hundred thousand yuan.

Fang Yue tried to persuade him earnestly, but Zhou Buqi wouldn’t budge.

In his words, this kind of classified information website was about publishing all business information online, just like a country fair. For such an information platform website, the term “Ganjij” was very meaningful.

Fang Yue had no choice. He treated Zhou Buqi to lunch and continued to haggle in the afternoon.

He even said that if it was just one hundred and fifty thousand yuan, they would close the deal immediately!

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “The American spent one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars to buy a domain name from me, and you’re also offering one hundred and fifty thousand yuan. The exchange rate isn’t equivalent, you know.”

“Please help us out, we really don’t have much capital here.” Fang Yue’s attitude was very sincere. He patted his chest and said, “Give your brother some face. If you ever need anything in the future, just call directly. I’ll definitely help if I can.”

Such words couldn’t fool Zhou Buqi. He smiled and said, “Alright then, I actually do have a small problem right now.”

“Tell me!”

“I want to open a chain milk tea shop that uses fresh fruit, but the fruit supplier issue hasn’t been resolved yet.”

“Small matter! Leave it to me!”

Fang Yue burst into laughter, his face flushed.

With the conversation at this point, he knew the deal was done.

The next day, Fang Yue took Zhou Buqi to The Capital’s largest Tianti Fruit Wholesale Market. He truly was a local influential figure, having many friends there.

After some introductions and bargaining, the fruit supplier issue was finally resolved!

Yuanwei milk tea shop’s procurement price was on par with those of large fruit supermarkets.

At this point, all supply chain issues for the chain milk tea shop were settled.

At the same time, Zhou Buqi’s account gained another one hundred and fifty thousand yuan, bringing his total capital to four hundred and fifty thousand yuan.

September 28th was the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The National Day Galas and Freshman Welcome Galas of various universities were generally held on this day.

Zhou Buqi also participated in the gala’s arrangements, but he wasn’t idle. He contacted Fang Qiwen and had the milk tea shop’s equipment, raw materials, and plastic cups delivered.

Another fifty thousand yuan was spent.

Once everyone finished with the gala, they could fully dedicate themselves to the milk tea shop’s operations.

Opening, countdown initiated!

…

“What do you need me for?”

Wen Zhixia was wearing a white jacket, faded jeans, and her hair was casually tied in a ponytail. She looked so youthful and beautiful, not at all like a teacher, more like a college student.

She and Zhou Buqi sat in a small restaurant outside the school, a hint of fatigue on her face.

“Been looking for an apartment all day again?”

Zhou Buqi picked up some food for her. She glanced at him, didn’t refuse, and casually hummed in affirmation, then asked, “Isn’t there a gala tonight? Aren’t you going?”

“No!” Zhou Buqi replied decisively.

Wen Zhixia eyed him. “All the pretty girls from our school will be there.”

Zhou Buqi scoffed, “What do their looks have to do with me? I’m not a scumbag who falls for every pretty face.”

Wen Zhixia was amused by him. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said playfully, “Why are you so sensitive? You’re protesting too much, aren’t you?”

“How could that be?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head vigorously like a rattle-drum, speaking with righteous indignation.

Wen Zhixia lowered her head and ate a few bites. It seemed that looking for an apartment was truly exhausting. After a while, she said, “Alright, let’s get to the point. What else do you need? Don’t tell me you sold another domain name and need my help?”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “A teacher is indeed a teacher, you guessed it perfectly. But I don’t need your help; I’ve already handled it myself.”

Wen Zhixia looked up in astonishment, gazing at him in surprise. “You really sold it?”

“Really sold it!”

“How much?”

Wen Zhixia blurted out, then felt it was inappropriate and added, “If it’s inconvenient, then…”

“What’s inconvenient about it?” Zhou Buqi smiled and waved his hand. “I sold two domain names, one for Ganjij.com and one for Qunar.com. Each domain name sold for one hundred and fifty thousand yuan, totaling three hundred thousand yuan. It’s just a pity it wasn’t US dollars.”

Wen Zhixia’s chopsticks fell onto the table as she stared blankly at him.

What kind of student was this?

When did making money become so easy?

Just a few days ago, he sold a domain name to an American and earned one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars! And now, just a few days later, he’s sold two more domain names? Is the internet business really that simple?

This kid is too terrifying!

“It’s just a small amount of money, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning,” Zhou Buqi said modestly. But to Wen Zhixia’s ears, his words were incredibly annoying.

“That’s enough!”

Wen Zhixia rolled her eyes.

Their relationship now was a bit strange, not like teacher and student, but more like friends.

Mainly, Zhou Buqi’s abilities were too strong, and he was a master at making money. Even if Wen Zhixia wanted to maintain her teacher’s demeanor, she couldn’t.

“Your apartment lease is almost up, isn’t it?”

“Yes, two more days.”

“Why don’t you stop looking then?”

“Huh?”

Wen Zhixia’s beautiful eyes widened, full of confusion.

Zhou Buqi took out a key from his pocket and pushed it towards her. “There are only two days left, and you still have to move. It’s too rushed. Why don’t you just move in there directly?”

Wen Zhixia pouted, “I’m just a university teacher with a fixed salary; I can’t afford to rent a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Teacher Wen, you’re being too formal! What’s with all this talk about money? Just pack your bags and move in.”

“What about you?”

“I’m not in a hurry.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, why are you so dawdling? I’ve given you the key, just go and live there. I haven’t sorted things out on my end yet; I won’t be able to move out until at least next semester.”

Wen Zhixia had been exhausted from apartment hunting lately and truly didn’t want to move anymore. She immediately took the key and rolled her eyes. “Who’s dawdling? I’ve helped you so much, it’s only right that I live in your apartment.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Exactly, it’s only right. Oh, by the way, do you need my help moving?”

“No need, I only have one box.”

“Oh, alright then. You know where the apartment is, right? Xuezhi Community, Building 3, Room 1606.”

“Mm.”

“That’s good then. Don’t even mention it, I’ve been so worried about you lately, especially afraid you wouldn’t find an apartment and would be kicked out onto the streets.”

Wen Zhixia said angrily, “You just can’t stand to see me doing well, can you? Alright, I’m going back to pack. I’m moving tomorrow; the landlord keeps rushing me, it’s so annoying.”

They paid the bill and left the restaurant.

“Why are you following me?”

“To walk you home.”

“No need.”

Wen Zhixia flatly refused. She wasn’t in the mood to flirt with her student.

Zhou Buqi said seriously, “Walking a girl home is what every gentleman should do.”

Wen Zhixia frowned slightly, turning to look at him. “I’m not a girl, I’m your teacher!”

Zhou Buqi said, “You’re a teacher, and also a girl. That’s not contradictory.”

“It’s very contradictory!”

Wen Zhixia emphasized her tone, her intention to avoid suspicion very clear.

Zhou Buqi pretended not to understand, his face full of surprise. “Contradictory? Why? Oh, Teacher Wen, could it be that you’re no longer a girl and have become a woman?”

Wen Zhixia bristled with anger. “Zhou Buqi, get lost!!!”

Before she finished speaking, Zhou Buqi had already slipped away, running off in a flash.

Watching his retreating figure, Wen Zhixia’s chest heaved with anger. She gritted her teeth, muttering to herself, “This must be the fifth time, right? No, the sixth time!”

He’s simply a super invincible jerk!

On the other side, Zhou Buqi walked through the campus, whistling, in an excellent mood.

He had originally prepared a whole bunch of excuses, but none of them were needed.

Wen Zhixia seemed to have no guard up at all and agreed on the spot.

If it had been Xue Baoshan, it would have taken at least half a month of persistent persuasion to get her to agree to move into his apartment.

It seems that as his business development smoothly unfolds, his relationship line is also about to make rapid progress.

Sure enough, a short while later, he received a call from Wu Yu.

“Are you going home for the National Day holiday?”

“No, the milk tea shop is opening.”

“Oh, then I won’t go back either.”

“Alright, when the holiday starts, I’ll take you shopping, and in the evening, we’ll find a nice hotel and finalize our relationship. By the way, are you mentally prepared?”

“Mm, pretty much.”

Wu Yu’s voice was infinitely shy.

Zhou Buqi said, “That’s good then. Don’t pull any tricks on me when the time comes.”

“Not this time,” Wu Yu said, pouting playfully.

“I’ll pick you up downstairs at your dorm building in a bit, and we can go watch the gala together. I heard it’s quite a grand affair.”

“Okay.”

An hour later, Zhou Buqi walked into the stadium, his arm around Wu Yu’s waist.

As an officer of the University Student Union, Li Hongrui’s task was to stand at the stadium entrance, greeting and guiding the university leaders. He just happened to run into the lovey-dovey Zhou Buqi and Wu Yu.

Li Hongrui’s eyes seemed to spit fire.

Zhou Buqi enthusiastically waved at him and chuckled, “Li Erdan, what a coincidence! Let me introduce you, this is my girlfriend, Wu Yu. You know her, right?”

A dull ache flared in Li Hongrui’s chest. He said coldly, “Second Brother Zhou, you’re celebrating too early!”

Chapter 61: Zhou Buqi’s Clever Maneuver

“Mhm, mhm, mhm, I know, I know… No need to wait until the end of the month, I’ll move now, today, right away!”

Wen Zhixia had had enough of the landlord’s incessant phone harassment.

Hanging up the phone, she got up and washed.

Then, she opened the suitcase she had packed last night and carefully checked it again.

She rented a small studio apartment of over 30 square meters, with a very simple layout. She didn’t have many pots and pans; she only needed to bring her books, computer, clothes, cosmetics, and toiletries.

One suitcase wasn’t quite enough, so she found another plastic storage box.

After organizing everything, she reluctantly looked around the small room, not missing a single corner.

Then, she placed the storage box on top of the suitcase and left decisively.

“A tree dies when moved, but a person thrives. Changing where I live might open a new chapter in my life.”

Wen Zhixia silently prayed in her heart, a hint of worry clouding her delicate face.

She didn’t call a taxi. She pulled her suitcase and walked one kilometer to Xuezhi Community.

She opened the elevator and pressed the 16th floor.

Arriving at the door of room 1606, she took out the key and opened the door.

After pulling open the door, Wen Zhixia lowered her head, dragged the suitcase into the room, and let out a long sigh.

She felt so tired, she wanted to take a shower.

But as soon as she looked up, she was immediately dumbfounded.

Oh no!

Wrong room!

Wen Zhixia was startled. Thinking she had entered the wrong room, her face turned pale, and she quickly pulled her suitcase, wanting to back out. This was trespassing, it was against the law.

But the moment she turned around, she paused slightly again, her beautiful eyes widening.

That’s not right!

If she was in the wrong room, how could her key still open the door?

And this was clearly room 1606.

Wen Zhixia was filled with doubt and surprise. She slowly turned around and began to examine the living room’s arrangement.

On the shoe cabinet by the entrance, there was a vibrant floral arrangement. A fabric sofa was placed against the wall, and on it were two pink throw pillows embroidered with cartoon designs, full of girlish charm.

Opposite the sofa, the original home theater system had been removed and replaced with a glass coffee table, paired with two exaggeratedly shaped log round chairs. Behind the coffee table was a wall-mounted bookshelf, which was quite empty, with only one photo frame on it.

Wen Zhixia walked over curiously and saw a sunny smiling face in the photo frame – it was Zhou Buqi. She couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

As she laughed, her eyes grew moist, and her heart felt warm.

In the innermost corner, there was a new wine cabinet, with seven or eight bottles of red wine displayed on their sides.

And on the wall, there were two reproductions of her favorite Yokoyama Taikan paintings.

Everything, absolutely everything, was exactly as she had casually mentioned when she and Zhou Buqi discussed the room’s layout that day.

“This idiot!”

Wen Zhixia huffed in annoyance, pulled out her phone, and dialed Zhou Buqi’s number: “How can you be so reckless?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Zhou Buqi sounded a bit bewildered.

Wen Zhixia gritted her teeth and said, “The Landlord said to take good care of his house and not damage it casually. How could you just change things?”

Zhou Buqi said with a smile, “You’re at the house?”

“You’re still laughing?” Wen Zhixia’s voice was anxious. “If they find out, we’ll have to pay a huge sum of money!”

Zhou Buqi spoke unhurriedly, softly asking, “Never mind that, do you like it?”

“I…”

Wen Zhixia paused, then hardened her heart and said coldly, “Do you think this is interesting? Can you stop being so childish? Can you be more mature? Don’t think I don’t know your little schemes. I’m telling you, these little tricks might fool ignorant girls, but they won’t work on me! Don’t forget, I’m your Teacher, Student Zhou!”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Teacher Wen, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying. Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you something: I’ve already bought that apartment. So, you can live there with peace of mind, without worry. No landlord will ever rush you again, because I am the landlord.”

“What?” Wen Zhixia was dumbfounded, feeling a little dizzy.

“Alright, Teacher Wen, I have things to do here, so I won’t chat anymore. You can get used to the new house first. Feel free to do anything with all the stuff; it’s all ours anyway, no problem!”

Zhou Buqi hung up the phone directly, not waiting for her to speak.

Then, the corner of his mouth curved upwards, and he chuckled to himself.

Oh, Teacher Wen, of course you’re not an ignorant girl. How could I use such petty tricks to fool you?

That was just an appetizer.

The real main course is that the owner of this house is named Zhou Buqi!

…

The last day of September.

Zhou Buqi gathered his startup team again.

Now, all three milk tea shops were ready and were recruiting full-time Assistant Store Managers from the public. Especially the securing of the fruit supplier had convinced everyone.

The current market price for mangoes is 4-5 yuan per 500g, but the supplier’s price for the milk tea shops is only 1.8 yuan.

With such an extremely low quote, even Liu Wenbo couldn’t find any fault, no matter how much he tried to nitpick.

“Our team has been assembled for almost a month now, and everyone has worked very hard this past month…”

Before Zhou Buqi could finish, Meng Houkun interjected, displeased, “Boss Zhou, you’re the one who worked the hardest. Those two days I spent running around with you to suppliers taught me more social experience than I’ve accumulated in the past twenty years.”

Xu Baihui seconded, “That’s right, you secured the equipment and raw materials, you led the team to find the formula, and the fruit supplier… we all saw it with our own eyes.”

Ma Pingshan said, deeply convinced, “Boss Zhou, I don’t know about others, but I, Ma Pingshan, am one hundred percent impressed with you!”

Ji Zian smiled, “Everyone here comes from different schools, and the reason we could come together is because of your charismatic personality…”

“Alright, everyone, stop praising me,” Zhou Buqi waved his hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “This meeting isn’t for you to commend my achievements; there’s serious business to discuss.”

“Okay, Boss, you speak.”

“Mhm, we’re listening.”

“Good.”

Zhou Buqi made a downward pressing gesture with his hand, and the room quieted. He said softly, “Now, all three milk tea shops are ready. We’ll use the National Day holiday for a trial run, and then they’ll open simultaneously after the holiday. In other words, our Yuanwei milk tea chain store is officially moving towards regularization. Since it’s regularization, there must be some job arrangements.”

As soon as he said this, everyone pricked up their ears.

Especially Liu Wenbo, whose heart pounded rapidly.

Although there had been conflicts before, and the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident, currently, he was still the second-in-command of this startup team, holding considerable authority.

It all depended on how Zhou Buqi would arrange things.

“The chain milk tea shops are the first step in our venture. It’s okay to start slow; we must be steady and lay a good foundation. Therefore, I will personally serve as the General Manager, guiding everyone in operating the milk tea shops. As for future ventures in other industries, I might not directly participate in operations; I’ll hand it over to one of you to lead.”

“So, I hope everyone will be diligent, pay attention to every detail in the operating procedures, carefully observe, and meticulously summarize. Whoever performs exceptionally well will be the General Manager when we establish our matchmaking company next!”

“Alright, let’s get back to the milk tea shops. I will serve as General Manager, and Liu Wenbo and Xue Baoshan will serve as Deputy General Managers. Wenbo’s abilities are obvious and visible to everyone, so there’s no need to elaborate. I want to specifically talk about Baoshan. Don’t let her being a girl and the youngest fool you; she personally built our Yuanwei milk tea chain’s flagship store, and her methods are extremely shrewd. Even in terms of merit, she is fully qualified.”

After these words were spoken, Liu Wenbo let out a long sigh of relief and nodded secretly.

Xue Baoshan sat gracefully, as elegant as ever, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her composed demeanor was quite unsuited to her age.

Zhou Buqi’s prestige was too high, and his leadership was extremely strong; no one would oppose his decisions.

“Liu Wenbo will be responsible for finance, marketing, security, and new store openings; Baoshan will be responsible for human resources and logistics.”

“Additionally, Senior Sister Zhen Yu will be in charge of finance, Ji Zian will be in charge of marketing, Zhang Yinlei will be in charge of security, and for new store preparations… Chen Dong, you’ll be in charge. Since you’re from Peking University, everyone will give you some face when you step forward. Xu Baihui will be in charge of human resources, and Meng Houkun will be in charge of logistics.”

Ma Pingshan and Guo Pengfei were not assigned specific positions.

However, both of them had deep connections with Zhou Buqi and were staunch supporters.

As soon as these job arrangements were announced, Liu Wenbo’s face lit up with satisfaction. The four business departments he was in charge of were the core of the core.

Meanwhile, Xu Baihui’s large eyes blinked, like a fox’s, with a half-smile that made it hard to tell what she was thinking.

After everyone had processed the news, Zhou Buqi lightly tapped the table and smiled, “One last thing: payment! It’s National Day, so everyone gets 2,000 yuan. You can go climb the Great Wall or visit the Old Summer Palace during the holiday. It’s not a lot of money, but the milk tea shops haven’t even opened yet. There will be more in the future, as long as everyone works hard!”

Currently, it was difficult for an ordinary worker’s monthly salary to exceed 1,000 yuan. Zhou Buqi casually handing out 2,000 yuan could be said to have struck everyone’s hearts.

Boss Zhou, too generous!

Xue Baoshan, however, looked worried and said softly, “Student Zhou, the milk tea shops haven’t even opened yet. You… you shouldn’t use your own money to subsidize us. Why don’t we wait until the milk tea shops are up and running before we get paid?”

“No need.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, refusing immediately. “Senior Sister Zhen, go back and distribute the money to everyone, not a single cent less. I’ll say it again, the milk tea shops are just the beginning, and I, Zhou Buqi, am not a stingy person. You all know about the Hurun Rich List, right? Ten years from now, I want every single person here to be on that list!”

These were big words, and quite outlandish.

The room fell silent.

Even composed and gentle girls like Xue Baoshan, and refined handsome guys like Ji Zian, couldn’t help but widen their eyes.

Isn’t that a bit too grand a promise?

This kind of deceptive talk would make even a pyramid scheme feel inferior.

Aren’t you afraid of biting your tongue?

This maneuver was incomprehensible.

Chapter 62: Wangfujing

“Where do you want to go shopping?”

“Anywhere is fine.”

“When I ask you, just say it!” Zhou Buqi sternly glared at her.

Wu Yu pouted, lightly stamping her foot, “You’re being mean to me again.”

Zhou Buqi held her hand as they walked on campus. “Stop dawdling, hurry up.”

Wu Yu thought for a moment, then whispered, “Let’s go to Sanlitun then. I heard it’s quite fun there, with a bar street, a snack street, and a shopping street.”

Seeing his displeasure, she quickly changed her mind, “Or Xidan is fine too, or how about Zhongguancun?”

Zhou Buqi said unhappily, “What kind of crummy places are those? We might as well go to Baiziwan!”

“Baiziwan? Where’s that?” Wu Yu was slightly startled, having never heard of it.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, “Forget it, let’s go to Wangfujing.”

“Ah?” Wu Yu’s expression changed slightly, and she subtly refused, “It’s too far, let’s not go, okay?”

“We’ll stay there tonight, it’s fine.”

“This…”

“You don’t want to again?” Zhou Buqi turned to look at her.

“No.” Wu Yu bit her lip, shaking her head lightly, “That place… the prices there are quite high.”

Zhou Buqi said firmly, “We’re going to Wangfujing! We’re going to shop at Wangfujing Department Store. I’ll buy you a few sets of high-end clothes, so you can see if I’m really a cheapskate!”

Wangfujing Street on National Day was truly terrifyingly crowded.

Zhou Buqi had to tightly hold Wu Yu the entire time, afraid that she would be swallowed by the human tide if he wasn’t careful.

However, Wu Yu was very happy and sweet.

Zhou Buqi had just bought her the latest model red flip-phone Motorola, and two expensive dresses, with the total cost exceeding ten thousand yuan.

It was completely different from their previous shopping trips.

Wu Yu enjoyed the feeling of being valued, and she was very happy. In the crowded street, she leaned up and whispered in his ear, “Hubby, I’m so happy today.”

Zhou Buqi glared at her, “Hmph! Has your true nature as a gold digger been exposed?”

Wu Yu said aggrievedly, “I’m not a gold digger.”

Zhou Buqi snorted coldly, “I never bought you anything before, and you always called me by my name. Now I’ve spent a little money on you, and you’re calling me ‘hubby’? Isn’t that being a gold digger?”

“No, it’s really not.” Wu Yu was so anxious that tears were almost falling. “Didn’t you say tonight… tonight we’re staying here? That we’re going to formalize our relationship? It has nothing to do with money.”

Zhou Buqi looked at her deeply, then waved his hand indifferently, “Forget it, whatever you say. Whether it’s related or not doesn’t matter. Anyway, with my earning ability, the more you’re a gold digger, the more you won’t be able to leave me.”

“I’m not talking to you anymore!”

Wu Yu angrily stomped her foot, about to leave by herself.

Zhou Buqi grabbed her, couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh? Getting a temper now?”

Wu Yu, with teary eyes, said pitifully, “You always scold me and accuse me wrongly.”

Zhou Buqi was speechless, “Alright, alright, alright, I misunderstood you this time, okay? It’s such a tiny thing, is it worth crying over?”

Wu Yu puffed out her cheeks, sniffled her pretty nose, and said defiantly, “Anyway, I’m not a gold digger. Many boys richer than you have given me very expensive jewelry, and I’ve refused them all. I’m with you because I like you, it has nothing to do with whether you have money or not.”

Zhou Buqi felt like he had found common ground, and said with deep conviction, “Right, right, right, you’re absolutely right. I’m also with you because I like you, it has nothing to do with whether you’re pretty or not.”

Wu Yu’s tears were just about to stop, but she was so infuriated as to burst into tears again.

Zhou Buqi opened his mouth, almost laughing out loud.

But then he felt that it was inhumane to laugh while his girlfriend was crying, so he forced himself to hold back his laughter and began to comfort her kindly.

However, Wu Yu seemed genuinely angry. No matter what nice things he said, even with kisses and hugs, she remained unmoved, her mouth pouting so high it could hang an oil bottle.

Fortunately, this was a commercial street.

Zhou Buqi carried the shopping bags in his left hand and protected her with his right, accompanying her to seven or eight more shops. After buying a pair of red women’s running shoes, her expression finally improved.

Just then, two large, strong black men, built like oxen, walked past them.

A pungent smell wafted over.

“Ugh… so strong!”

Wu Yu covered her nose with a distressed expression.

Zhou Buqi also sneezed twice in a row, cursing, “Damn it, what kind of cheap perfume are they spraying? Trying to fumigate people to death?”

Wu Yu nodded vigorously like a chick pecking rice, “It’s like mosquito repellent spray, stings the nose.”

Zhou Buqi snorted coldly, gritting his teeth, “Calling it mosquito repellent spray is giving it too much credit. I think they’re spraying pesticide spray as perfume.”

“Pfft!”

Wu Yu finally burst out laughing, giving him a charming white glance, and lightly patted him, chiding, “Don’t talk nonsense, be careful they accuse you of discrimination.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression sobered, and he said seriously, “You have a point. A gentleman doesn’t put himself in harm’s way. Let’s find a hotel and hide first.”

“Now?”

Wu Yu thought of something, and her pretty face instantly flushed red.

Zhou Buqi said earnestly, “Yes, the weather is too stuffy, and there are too many people. Let’s go to a hotel, check in, put our things down, and have a meal. We’ll stay in the hotel this afternoon. When the weather cools down tonight, we can come out and enjoy the night view, how about that?”

Wu Yu lowered her head shyly, humming a mosquito-like “Mm,” “I’ll listen to you.”

The hotel they checked into was right on Wangfujing Street, the old and renowned Tianlun Dynasty Hotel, definitely a five-star.

The 10th floor was the core, named “Wangchao Xuan,” and all the rooms were luxury suites. When they asked the price, the cheapest was 3,000 yuan.

Wu Yu was startled and tried to pull him away.

Zhou Buqi, however, insisted on staying, smiling as he handed his student ID card to the front desk lady and said, “I’m a university student, not some international friend with more money than sense. Miss, can you make an exception?”

The front desk lady didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “It’s a holiday now, and the rooms will be full very soon.”

“Can you help us out?”

“This…”

“I know you have internal prices.”

“Huh?”

The front desk lady was stunned, finding it hard to believe.

“Are you really a university student?”

“Look at my student ID card. My girlfriend and I are out shopping.”

“Beike University…”

The front desk lady was very surprised, her heart shaking.

Had times changed so quickly?

University students checking into hotels now came to top five-star hotels in Wangfujing?

They didn’t even want regular rooms, going straight for luxury suites?

After hesitating for a long while, the front desk lady slowly nodded, whispering, “Some special VIPs can enjoy a 30% discount. You are the first self-paying undergraduate students to stay here in the Tianlun Dynasty Hotel’s more than ten years of operation, so you can be considered special guests.”

After checking in, an exceptionally beautiful female attendant led the way. Her figure, looks, attire, smile, voice, and etiquette were all top-notch, very much like a flight attendant who had changed professions.

She was very eye-catching.

Wu Yu was still a bit uneasy, tightly holding Zhou Buqi’s arm and whispering, “Are we really staying here? It’s too expensive.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “It’s not expensive, it’s 30% off.”

“It’s still expensive. A regular room would have been fine.”

“Those rooms are only 30 square meters, too small. A suite is more comfortable.”

“It’s not small.”

“Today is the first time, let’s choose a nice place. We won’t come again after this.”

“Oh, okay.”

Wu Yu pursed her lips, her face flushed, feeling a little nervous, but also a bit more expectant.

Chapter 63: A Scumbag’s Retribution is a Scumbag Girl

Although Wu Yu had long since overcome her psychological barrier, she was still very scared.

The luxury of the lavish suite didn’t fill her with continuous surprises; instead, her face grew paler and paler. Zhou Buqi pulled her along to tour all the rooms in the suite: the living room, walk-in closet, bathroom, dry sauna, bedroom…

All along the way, she bit her lip tightly, until her lips were a little white.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi showed a rare tenderness, making her sit at the dressing table, massaging her shoulders, and laughing as he told her a few jokes.

Wu Yu was amused, her face breaking into continuous smiles, and she relaxed considerably.

“It’s noon, let’s go eat. Let me tell you, the 10th floor where we’re staying is the essence of the Wangchao Hotel, also known as Wangchao Xuan, it’s truly a hotel within a hotel.”

Zhou Buqi took her hand and led her to the dining area, where they chose Western cuisine.

Red wine and steak, not a single item missing.

Eating here was all about the atmosphere, the feeling.

Zhou Buqi snapped his fingers again, called over a blonde, blue-eyed female server, and, in broken English, requested a violinist.

With red wine, steak, and Western music played just for her, Wu Yu was so touched she was almost in tears.

After their Western meal, Zhou Buqi put his arm around her and softly asked, “There’s a bar here too. Want to go mix a cocktail?”

Wu Yu wasn’t good with alcohol; after just two small glasses of red wine, her cheeks were flushed red like the sunset, highlighting a charming allure in her pure and delicate demeanor. She nestled into his broad embrace and whispered, “No more drinking. Let’s… go back to the room.”

“Now?”

“Mm.”

“Alright.”

Zhou Buqi led her back to the room. As soon as he pushed open the door, Wu Yu let out a sharp “Ah!”

The floor was covered with vibrant rose petals.

They covered every corner.

Entering the bedroom, in addition to the rose petals on the carpet, the pristine white bed also had rose petals arranged in a heart shape, with a large bouquet of bright red, blooming roses standing in the center.

Zhou Buqi walked over, picked up the roses, and handed them to Wu Yu, asking with a smile, “Do you like them?”

“I like them, I like them so much…”

Wu Yu covered her mouth with one hand and took the roses with the other. As she spoke, tears began to fall.

Zhou Buqi stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Why are you crying again?”

“No, it’s… it’s because I’m happy.”

“Really?”

“Mm, I’m so touched.” Wu Yu nestled tightly into his arms.

Zhou Buqi gently stroked her hair. “You’re truly silly.”

Wu Yu protested, wiggling a few times in his arms, “I’m not silly at all.” She paused, then added, “They say girls in love have negative IQs, so it’s not my fault.”

“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, it’s my fault.”

“It’s all your fault!”

“Mm, it’s my fault.” Zhou Buqi displayed a rare tenderness.

This pleased Wu Yu greatly. She clung to him like a kitten, her voice soft and lazy like a kitten’s, murmuring, “Husband…”

…

Zhou Buqi knew he was straying further and further down the path of a scumbag, probably due to heredity.

However, worse than a scumbag is a scumbag girl.

Xu Baihui had asked him out many times.

“Oh? Boss, I haven’t seen you in two days, and your aura has improved again!” Xu Baihui was from Beijing Dance Academy; her figure and demeanor were excellent, and she was beautiful and enchanting. The way she tilted her head and joked could charm anyone to death.

Zhou Buqi lightly coughed and said seriously, “Let’s go to the Foreign Language Institute. Xue Baoshan is coming too.”

“Huh?”

Xu Baihui pouted, clearly displeased.

“I have a girlfriend,” Zhou Buqi said, giving her a cautious look and hinting, “We just made it official yesterday.”

Xu Baihui covered her mouth, laughing heartily, “Haha, Boss Zhou, so you’ve transformed from a big boy into a big man! Congratulations, congratulations! No wonder your aura is so extraordinary.”

Zhou Buqi’s face darkened.

He couldn’t joke around with her like that.

This girl’s speed in teasing could win an F1 race; he couldn’t handle it.

Xu Baihui shook her head and said, “Boss, you’re quite rich now, aren’t you?”

Zhou Buqi also considered her half a confidant, so he nodded and said, “Mm, I made some money selling domain names. I still have over five hundred thousand on my card.”

“That much?”

Xu Baihui’s eyes widened, and she gave him a thumbs-up. “Boss is Boss, truly awesome!”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “As a young lady, don’t use such vulgar language.”

“What’s there to be afraid of? There are no outsiders,” Xu Baihui said carelessly, then lowered her voice and said mysteriously, “Boss, they say men turn bad when they get rich, and women get rich when they turn bad. So… why don’t you turn bad for a bit, and then I’ll get rich?”

“Stop messing around.”

Zhou Buqi decisively refused.

His heart was filled with bitterness.

He thought of himself, navigating among various beauties, even teasing female Teachers, feeling quite at ease. But now, he was repeatedly thwarted and teased by an art student.

It felt like ‘every cause has its effect, and your retribution is me’.

“Just try it?” Xu Baihui blinked her big eyes and leaned closer.

Zhou Buqi retreated repeatedly, saying in a proper tone, “No, no, I have a girlfriend.”

“Stop pretending, I know you’re a scumbag,” Xu Baihui pouted, looking quite disdainful.

Zhou Buqi struggled, “A rabbit doesn’t eat the grass near its burrow!”

Xu Baihui wasn’t discouraged. She shook his arm and said with a giggle, “Boss, why don’t you be a scumbag to me just once? I’m willing.”

Zhou Buqi felt so uncomfortable. He cried out in his heart, “Little Sister Bao, why aren’t you here yet? There’s a vixen here; if you don’t come soon, I’ll be eaten until there’s nothing but bones left.”

Xu Baihui’s personality and usual behavior were enough to show that she had been in many relationships and was experienced. Zhou Buqi’s refusal wasn’t because he disliked or minded her past; in fact, he really liked this intelligent, cheerful, and enthusiastic girl.

However, he knew his limits.

He could handle Wu Yu because she was silly. But a vixen who could bring disaster to the nation and its people like Xu Baihui? He definitely couldn’t tame her. If they really got together, the backyard would surely catch fire.

Fortunately, not long after, Little Sister Bao finally arrived.

“Student Zhou, why do you look so pale?” Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes widened, noticing his somewhat pale complexion.

Xu Baihui covered her stomach and giggled, “I scared him!”

“Ah?”

Xue Baoshan was filled with curiosity.

Xu Baihui giggled and said, “I told Boss to be a scumbag to me once, and it scared him so much he almost wet his pants.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Zhou Buqi loudly defended his dignity.

Xu Baihui smiled ambiguously, teasingly saying, “Didn’t wet your pants? Then why are your legs clamped so tightly?”

Zhou Buqi’s old face turned crimson. He was truly defeated and raised his hands in surrender: “Alright, Little Sister Bao is still a young lady, don’t talk rubbish.”

Xue Baoshan’s pretty face flushed crimson, her red lips tightly pressed together. She stood there gracefully, like a white peony brushed with blush.

…

Zhongguancun was still under construction at the time. Shanda’s Zhongguancun Plaza Shopping Center hadn’t been built yet, and the surrounding area consisted of scattered, unsystematic shops.

For university students, this was already enough.

Because it was a holiday, Zhongguancun was also very lively.

In the roadside gardens or tree-lined green belts, groups of elderly men and women were either squatting or sitting, some chatting loudly, others sighing.

At their feet, there was a notice like a big-character poster.

The content of the notice was long, and the theme was clear—marriage proposals!

Not for themselves, but for their children.

“My daughter, Xu Jiaojiao, is 31 years old this year, a master’s graduate from the University of Posts and Telecommunications, with an annual income exceeding three hundred thousand. She sincerely seeks a reliable life partner. Requirements: pleasant features, age no more than 35, no second marriages, no children, must own property within the Fourth Ring Road, a vehicle worth no less than three hundred thousand, annual income no less than five hundred thousand, filial to parents, and a down-to-earth person…”

The three of them were very interested in these marriage advertisements, but after reading for a while, they all shook their heads.

“There’s a Metersbonwe store ahead, want to check it out?”

Xu Baihui lost interest, finding this parent-led marriage proposal model too absurd, and wanted to continue shopping.

Zhou Buqi looked at her strangely. “You still wear Metersbonwe clothes?”

Xu Baihui snorted lightly, “I’m a university student too, you know?”

The three walked towards the Metersbonwe store.

As soon as they entered, Xu Baihui tugged at Zhou Buqi’s clothes and whispered, “It’s Chen Dong.”

“Hm?”

Zhou Buqi turned his head and indeed saw Chen Dong, a member of the Entrepreneurship Alliance, near the fitting rooms.

What a coincidence!

“Wait.”

Xu Baihui pulled him again. “There’s a child.”

Indeed, next to Chen Dong was a little girl of about three years old, as cute as a porcelain doll. Her tender white hands clutched Chen Dong’s pant leg, and her bright, large eyes looked around, as if extremely curious about everything.

The little girl seemed very sensible, neither crying nor making a fuss, quietly endearing.

Zhou Buqi’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. He exchanged glances with Xu Baihui and Xue Baoshan, their expressions somewhat heavy.

In fact, Zhou Buqi had already noticed.

Almost every member of the entrepreneurship team he had organized had an unspeakable secret behind them.

For example, himself, from a wealthy family, yet he had to resist a tragic family calamity;

For example, Liu Wenbo, who had entered Beijing Institute of Technology for the second time after serving time in prison;

For example, Ma Pingshan, who returned to campus after resigning from a state-owned enterprise;

For example, Ji Zian, whose girlfriend got together with his best friend, and he quit the Student Union and joined the Entrepreneurship Alliance to avoid suspicion…

Then there were Zhang Yinlei, who was a left-behind child, Meng Houkun, who didn’t want to enter politics, Guo Pengfei, who was talented but unattractive, and even the three girls, Zhen Yu, Xu Baihui, and Xue Baoshan, all had their own worries.

Thinking about it carefully, it wasn’t surprising.

What kind of university students would decide to go into business during their university years? Even going so far as to skip classes for long periods, risking disciplinary action from the school—this was almost a desperate gamble.

They must be anomalies among students, people with stories.

It seemed that Chen Dong, a Senior studying at Peking University, had an even more bizarre story.

“Is that his daughter?” Xue Baoshan’s voice trembled slightly.

Zhou Buqi patted her arm, giving her a comforting look, and smiled, “No matter what, we are a team. Let’s go, don’t just guess. Let’s go over and see; maybe it’s just a misunderstanding?”

The three walked with somewhat heavy steps towards Chen Dong.

At this moment, the fitting room door opened, and a female university student of their age walked out. She was very beautiful, wearing a Metersbonwe beige trench coat that fit her exceptionally well, giving her quite a graceful demeanor.

“Mommy!”

The little girl, who had been bored clutching Chen Dong’s pants, suddenly leaped up, opened her arms, and rushed over.

Not to mention the two girls, Xu Baihui and Xue Baoshan, even Zhou Buqi, a grown man, felt the softest chord in his heart tugged by that single call.

Chapter 64: Chen Dong’s Past

She picked up her daughter and stood in front of the mirror, twisting left and swaying right, a satisfied smile gracing her lips.

She called a sales assistant to ask for the price: 245 yuan.

Her face suddenly flushed red. Biting her lip, she said, “This dress isn’t quite right. I don’t want it.”

Chen Dong quickly said, “It looks great! Buy it.”

She shook her head firmly, saying flatly, “I don’t like it.”

Chen Dong’s eyes were a little moist. He said unequivocally, “I think it looks great! Buy it!”

“No.”

“Buy it!”

“Mommy, Daddy, don’t argue.”

The little girl couldn’t understand the complexities of the adult world. She thought they were arguing and immediately her eyes welled up, her voice turning into a sob.

The sales assistant didn’t have much patience. With a disdainful look, she said irritably, “Don’t let the child cry, or the dress will get dirty and we won’t be able to sell it!”

“We’ll buy the dress. Go get the receipt.” Xu Baihui walked over, her face icy cold, and glared at the sales assistant. Very impolitely, she added, “Dare to say one more word, and I’ll call your store manager right away!”

The sales assistant wanted to argue, but seeing Xu Baihui’s attire and then the elegant and dignified Xue Baoshan next to her, the words died on her lips. She mumbled something and left with her chin raised.

“Boss Zhou? Baoshan, Baihui? You’re here too?” Chen Dong’s expression first showed surprise, then filled with embarrassment.

Zhou Buqi patted his shoulder and asked with a smile, “Is this your daughter? She’s so cute.”

Chen Dong held his daughter, watching the little darling’s curious big eyes blink, and felt his heart ache. His voice even choked up, “Yes, my daughter Nuannuan…”

He trailed off, unable to continue.

Nuannuan’s mother’s eyes were also red. She forced a smile and said, “You’re all partners from Chen Dong’s Entrepreneurship Alliance. He often talks about you. I’m his girlfriend, Zhao Xin’ou. I’m a third-year undergraduate at Peking University. It’s nice to meet you all.”

The atmosphere was very off.

Although no one explicitly said anything, they were all smart people and could guess about seventy to eighty percent of what was going on.

Soon, Xue Baoshan and Xu Baihui’s eyes also turned red.

Zhou Buqi patted Chen Dong’s shoulder again and said with a smile, “Baoshan, Baihui, you two can continue shopping with Senior Student Zhao. Take Nuannuan with you. We two will find a place to sit and rest for a bit. Shopping with women is a man’s nightmare.”

Xu Baihui sniffled and giggled, “Alright, alright, you two go quickly! Two big men here are just in the way. Nuannuan, right? Can Auntie hold you?”

…

As soon as they walked out of the Metersbonwe store, Chen Dong’s tears streamed down.

Zhou Buqi felt a pang in his heart but didn’t know what to say. He sighed, “There’s a coffee shop over there. Let’s wait for them there.”

Chen Dong roughly wiped his face, a bitter smile appearing, “Boss Zhou, you’ve seen me make a fool of myself.”

Zhou Buqi frowned and said displeased, “Chen Dong, we are entrepreneurial partners, and also friends, brothers. If you have difficulties, speak up.”

Chen Dong lowered his head sullenly, remaining silent.

Upon arriving at the coffee shop, Zhou Buqi ordered a latte for himself and an Americano for Chen Dong.

“Tell me, what happened?”

“Her name is Zhao Xin’ou, she’s my girlfriend. Nuannuan is our daughter.”

“Biological?”

“Yes.”

Zhou Buqi took a deep breath and lowered his voice, “Aren’t you only a second-year undergraduate? Aren’t you only one year older than me? Nuannuan must be two or three years old already, right? How is that Senior Sister Zhao a third-year undergraduate? Your Senior Student? What exactly happened?”

Chen Dong twitched his lips, hesitated for a long time, then took a large gulp of Americano. The bitterness twisted his face, and tears rolled down. Crying, he began to recount the events of that year…

It started four years ago.

In his first year of high school, Chen Dong met Zhao Xin’ou, a second-year Senior Sister who was a judge at the military training poetry recitation competition, and fell head over heels in love. Coincidentally, in the following months, they repeatedly crossed paths in their studies and daily lives.

On Valentine’s Day, Chen Dong confessed to his Senior Sister, and she immediately accepted.

That year, Chen Dong was in his second year of high school, and Zhao Xin’ou was in her third year.

A few days before the Lunar New Year, Zhao Xin’ou brought more surprising good news: she won second prize in the National Middle School Biology Competition and was directly admitted to Peking University.

The joy, like a pie falling from the sky, plunged the teenage couple into an ocean of happiness, and they ‘ate the forbidden fruit’.

That year, Chen Dong was eighteen years old, and Zhao Xin’ou was nineteen years old.

Later, Zhao Xin’ou’s belly grew bigger and bigger. What was laughable was that despite being a major award winner in biology, she lacked sufficient physiological knowledge about herself and thought she was just getting fat.

It wasn’t until summer, when she was about to report to Peking University, that she discovered she was pregnant.

At that time, she was terrified and dared not tell her parents, much less her Teachers.

Chen Dong said, “Let’s have the baby.”

She agreed.

After the semester began, she took a three-month long leave, rented a dilapidated house outside the campus, and occasionally went out for part-time jobs. Watching her belly grow day by day, her heart was half panicked, half joyful.

Chen Dong, meanwhile, was busy with his studies. He set a goal: he wanted to get into Peking University!

Even so, he often took holidays to visit her in The Capital, thankfully the journey wasn’t far. The days around her due date happened to be New Year’s Day, so he went to The Capital again to be by her side. However, she was very angry, saying he should focus on staying at school to study and prepare for the college entrance examination.

The delivery went smoothly. It was a healthy and adorable baby girl, named: Chen Monuan.

Both came from ordinary families in small county towns and dared not tell their parents.

During that time, the surgery fees, hospital fees, and various other expenses weighed heavily on their shoulders, suffocating them.

Chen Dong could only do part-time jobs during the winter break and borrow money from all his good friends.

Hard work paid off; he received his admission letter to Peking University.

Even before the semester started, he rushed to Yanjing to work and earn money.

During university, to support their family, he attended classes during the day and worked part-time at night, sleeping only three or four hours a day. Zhao Xin’ou was equally exhausted. They couldn’t afford a confinement nanny, so she had to clumsily take care of the child herself, even bringing the child to classes…

Zhou Buqi saw Chen Dong crying uncontrollably and, feeling a little sympathetic, interrupted him, “Bring the child to class? Didn’t she make a fuss?”

Chen Dong wiped his tears and snot with a tissue, forcing a smile, “Yes, she would make a fuss, but the Teachers and classmates were really good. Some Teachers would hold Nuannuan, comforting her while continuing to lecture. Some professors would call their assistants over to take care of Nuannuan, while they continued teaching everyone.”

“Even so, it must have been very hard.”

“Yes.”

“Do you regret it?”

Chen Dong paused slightly, thought of his adorable daughter, and his gentle girlfriend. Tears started flowing again, and he raised his voice, “Regret! I regret it very much!”

Zhou Buqi looked at him in surprise.

Chen Dong choked out, “Nuannuan isn’t even three years old yet. She can’t have the best formula milk, she doesn’t have pretty toys, and her clothes are all from… And Xiao’ou, every time I see her so tired she falls asleep sitting up, my heart aches like a knife.”

“Sigh!”

Zhou Buqi sighed softly.

This was probably the outcome of teenage boys and girls ‘eating the forbidden fruit’ and lacking rational judgment about reality.

Such incidents are common in news reports; many female university students give birth while still in school, and the outcomes are mostly abandoned babies in toilets, trash cans, or even illegal trafficking.

Fortunately, Chen Dong and Zhao Xin’ou were a pair of persistent and responsible young people. Without informing their respective mothers, they independently raised Nuannuan.

“Boss Zhou, I’m not afraid you’ll laugh at me for saying this.” Chen Dong was a man; the experiences of the past few years had matured him enough. He didn’t want to cry uncontrollably, constantly wiping his eyes and holding back, “This summer, I couldn’t even pay the rent. Fortunately, I encountered your Campus Card sales project, and I earned five thousand yuan. Otherwise…”

“If you had difficulties, you could have said so earlier.”

“I…”

Chen Dong sighed and shook his head.

Men always swallow their teeth with blood. He hadn’t even told his parents, so how could he tell Zhou Buqi, whom he had known for less than a month?

“Your parents still don’t know?”

“No, we’ve kept it a secret.”

“Why?”

“Who knows.”

Chen Dong gave a self-deprecating laugh, his eyes very red, “It’s pride at work, afraid they’d be disappointed.”

Yes, one was a favored son of heaven, the other a favored daughter of heaven, both top students at Peking University.

Yet, they had a child out of wedlock, and the child was already born.

In their small hometown county, they were legendary figures, role models for all young students, and a widely circulated legend. Once the truth was revealed, the reputation of both families would be ruined.

Zhou Buqi frowned deeply and asked in a low voice, “Nuannuan doesn’t have household registration yet, does she?”

“No.”

Chen Dong’s face was bitter and desolate, “Do you know, I’ve thought about dying. I’ve failed them, mother and daughter.”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes widened, his voice stern, “Only the most incompetent cowards speak lightly of death! Chen Dong! Don’t disappoint me!”

Chen Dong was startled, then shook his head and laughed, “Boss Zhou, don’t worry. Following you, I can see a bright future.”

Zhou Buqi stared at him deeply for a moment and said seriously, “If a man can’t even take care of his own woman and daughter, what kind of man is he? Chen Dong, Nuannuan is getting bigger, she’ll need to go to kindergarten soon. The household registration issue must be resolved!”

“Yes.”

Chen Dong’s voice lacked confidence.

Seeing his demeanor, Zhou Buqi knew that this matter would probably be difficult to handle.

If it were a big city like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen, it would be fine, as they are relatively more open. But in some economically underdeveloped small county towns, people’s minds are more conservative.

Once this matter was revealed to both families, they might even start fighting, turning a potential happy event into a disaster.

Zhou Buqi sighed, “Nuannuan is so adorable. Just one look from her melted my heart. You and Senior Sister Zhao are adults, you have your own ideas, I won’t interfere. But Nuannuan is still young, her growth shouldn’t be delayed because of your situation.”

“It’s very difficult!”

“Difficult doesn’t mean impossible. You must have considered it.”

“Yes.”

“Tell me your thoughts?”

Chen Dong hesitated, then sighed deeply, “The practical problems, in the end, all boil down to money.”

This sentence made Zhou Buqi’s eyes light up; he felt he hadn’t misjudged him.

“How much money do you need?”

“About two hundred thousand. In my hometown, the betrothal gift is usually fifty thousand, a house is one hundred thousand, and the three gold items of jewelry… two hundred thousand should be about right.”

“I have the money. Do you want it?”

Chen Dong shook his head like a rattle-drum, repeatedly refusing, “No, no! You said you came to Yanjing to start a business to escape the shackles of your family. How can I put you in a difficult position?”

Chapter 65: Shortcuts Are Lotteries

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Who told you I was going to ask my family for money?”

“Huh?”

Chen Dong was stunned, finding it hard to believe.

Zhou Buqi said, “It’s fine to tell you. Over the past period, I’ve been dabbling in the domain name business and earned over one and a half million.”

“How much?”

Chen Dong’s eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand with a smile, saying calmly, “I told you, if I want to make money, I have a hundred, a thousand ways. Honestly, even if our milk tea chain store opened in every university across the country, it would only earn some pocket money. My purpose in starting the milk tea shop is to lead everyone to grow, to learn business thinking, and to lay a foundation for higher achievements in the future.”

“Boss Zhou, I… I…”

Chen Dong felt his throat dry, his eyes like two suns.

Zhou Buqi looked at him calmly, “I have money in my hand. Do you need it?”

“No.”

Chen Dong refused decisively.

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi’s interest grew.

Chen Dong lowered his head, stirring the coffee in his hand, then suddenly looked up at him, “Boss, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Please teach me.”

“The operation and expansion process of the milk tea shop, you can…”

“It’s too slow! Boss Zhou, I need a shortcut. I really can’t wait. I want to give Xiao’ou an explanation, and I also want Nuannuan to get her vaccinations at a proper hospital.”

Zhou Buqi fixed his gaze on him, nodding gently, “I ask you, what do you think making money depends on?”

Chen Dong lowered his head and gave a bitter smile, “Certainly not these hands.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “You’ve already got the hang of it, much stronger than Guo Pengfei was at the beginning. It’s just making money, isn’t it? I’ll give you an idea. Selling Campus Cards only earns small money. I’ll give you a project. If you succeed, this Chinese New Year, you’ll be able to go to Senior Sister Zhao’s home with a betrothal gift!”

“Boss Zhou…”

Chen Dong trembled all over, his voice choking up again.

Zhou Buqi took a sip of coffee and said unhurriedly, “There’s a night market in Wudaokou. You’ve definitely been there. There are bookstalls at the night market, you must have seen them. The books at those stalls are very cheap, even five yuan a copy, pick any you want, do you know that?”

“Yes, pirated books.”

“Those bookstall owners are uneducated, unscrupulous people. At best, they set up bookstalls and earn a little money. However, if this point can be utilized well, it’s a huge business opportunity.”

Chen Dong’s heart skipped a beat, “Selling pirated books?”

Zhou Buqi said, “The straight path always has its twists and turns, as you’ve seen with our milk tea shop. If you want to take a shortcut, you must venture into a gray area. But you don’t need to worry too much. The country’s protection of copyright is relatively low at the moment, especially for book copyrights. As long as it’s about spreading knowledge and improving the cultural level of the people, the copyright bureau will intentionally tolerate it.”

His words were not without basis.

In his previous life, he had turned his fortunes around by publishing pirated books, then moved into the steel trade, and even dabbled in real estate, becoming a multi-millionaire.

“How do we do it?”

“Generally, those bookstall owners have resources from one or two pirated publishing houses. You go find them. Pirated books… Heh, let me put it this way: a 400-page bestseller might sell for thirty yuan in a legitimate bookstore, but the cost of a pirated copy might not exceed one yuan.”

“Ah?”

Chen Dong was dumbfounded. The difference was that huge?

It really did contain a huge business opportunity!

“Those pirated books at the night market bookstalls are ridiculous. They’re either self-help books, fortune-telling I Ching, or some absurd, bizarre insider literature. How much can those books sell?” Zhou Buqi said with disdain.

Chen Dong tentatively said, “But only these kinds of books won’t infringe on the interests of legitimate bookstores, so they can be openly displayed, right?”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Mm, well said! But don’t forget, we are university students, backed by the university student demographic! Do we need to set up stalls to sell books? Isn’t home delivery better? We can continue to learn from the Campus Card sales model.”

Chen Dong clapped his hands, excitedly saying, “So, you mean, print bestsellers?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, “Bestsellers are mostly youth literature, and their target audience is primarily middle school students. Moreover, the copyright management for these bestsellers is relatively strict. We can focus on professional books where copyright management is lax, or even intentionally tolerated by the state.”

Seeing Chen Dong deep in thought, he added, “For example, foreign works like ‘Thinking in Java’. The legitimate price is nearly forty yuan. If you sell it for twenty yuan, or even ten yuan a copy, how many do you think you could sell? Almost all computer science students need a copy. Just in the Haidian District universities, selling ten thousand copies wouldn’t be difficult.”

Chen Dong was dumbfounded.

Even if he earned ten yuan per copy, ten thousand copies would be… one hundred thousand yuan!

Holy crap!

When did making money become so easy?

For the past two years, just to survive, he had worked like a dog, rising before dawn and sleeping long after dark, yet he couldn’t provide a stable life for his wife and child.

Following Boss Zhou truly felt like a new chapter had opened in his life.

“For another example, ‘The Wealth of Nations’ is a required reading for economics majors; and ‘Ethics’ is a must-read for philosophy students… If all else fails, print a set of original English ‘Harry Potter’ books and deliver them to foreign language students.”

“I understand, I understand!”

Chen Dong trembled with excitement.

Zhou Buqi gently hummed in acknowledgment, then sighed, saying, “Chen Dong, to be honest with you, I know too many ways to make money. However, most of them I disdain to pursue. The path I’m leading you all on is a righteous, bright path, a path to greatness that could lead to the Hurun Rich List. Shortcuts are like lotteries, not life itself.”

Chen Dong’s eyes were moist. He swore he had never cried so miserably or been so distraught in his life as he was today.

However, this time, he was moved.

“Boss Zhou, you are my life mentor.”

“It’s not that serious.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, saying earnestly, “This path I’ve given you can earn you a lot of money; several million a year isn’t difficult. However, this is ultimately not a righteous path. I have a request for you.”

“Tell me, I will definitely listen,” Chen Dong said sincerely.

Zhou Buqi said, “Didn’t you say two hundred thousand yuan would solve your problems? I have a request for you: stop immediately once you’ve earned two hundred thousand yuan. Earning too much of certain money can make one lose their true self. I don’t want you to become the next Liu Wenbo.”

Chen Dong’s expression turned serious. He took a deep breath and firmly promised, “Boss Zhou, don’t worry, I will definitely not disappoint you.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, “It’s not about disappointing me, it’s about not disappointing Nuannuan.”

…

Two more people arrived at lunchtime.

Meng Houkun and his girlfriend Li Ting. They were also shopping nearby and happened to get in touch.

At this large table, there were a total of eight people: Zhou Buqi, Xue Baoshan, Xu Baihui, Chen Dong, Zhao Xin’ou, Nuannuan, Meng Houkun, and Li Ting.

It was quite lively.

During the meal, adorable Nuannuan became everyone’s little princess, doted on by all.

This made Chen Dong and Zhao Xin’ou feel warm inside, as if they had never experienced such warmth in the past few years.

Amidst the child’s laughter, the adults discussed entrepreneurship more.

For example, Meng Houkun’s girlfriend, Li Ting, was particularly unconvinced.

The Wudaokou University Joint Purchase Card project she came up with, how good was it? Integrating all the shop membership cards into one joint purchase card brought great convenience to university students’ outings. How meaningful was that?

Yet Zhou Buqi said it had no future.

If you’re so impressive, why don’t you come up with some impressive university student entrepreneurial project?

After all that, wasn’t it still just an old-fashioned milk tea shop?

Xu Baihui also said, “Yes, Boss, you have so many ideas, why don’t you teach us? I also organized an entrepreneurial club at Beijing Dance Academy and recruited seventeen people. Now we don’t have a single project, and everyone is very anxious.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand and chuckled, “So-called university student entrepreneurial projects are limited by the university student demographic. It’s difficult to expand them widely; at most, they are small-scale local endeavors, like part-time jobs, earning a little money. In comparison, while the milk tea shop is old-fashioned, it’s a true business.”

Xu Baihui deliberately tried to undermine him, scoffing, “Earning a little money is fine too! You had us all set up entrepreneurial clubs in our respective schools, you can’t just abandon us, can you? Everyone has a lot of entrepreneurial enthusiasm. The milk tea shop business, only the initial preparation process is complicated. Once it’s truly operating, and we’ve hired full-time Assistant Store Managers, there’s not much room for further development, we can only continuously open new stores.”

Chen Dong tentatively said, “Boss Zhou, why don’t you give us some guidance? The milk tea shop is the main business, but it really doesn’t need that many people.”

Zhou Buqi considered it for a moment, then slowly said, “Mm, alright. Since you all can’t sit still, I’ll find something for you to do to train your ability to handle things independently.”

“Tell us! Hurry up and tell us!”

“What’s the rush? We’ll have a meeting tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll assign tasks to everyone!”

Chapter 66: Seven Major Side Projects

It wasn’t Zhou Buqi bragging.

In his previous life, he had gone through hardships in the harsh environment of society, experienced family upheavals, started from the very bottom, and step by step built his own career.

Compared to that, the matters in university were truly child’s play.

Looking around, there were profitable projects everywhere, much better than that university discount card project.

It was just a pity that it was only 2004. If it were four or five years later, when e-commerce and online information had developed, there would be even more ways to make money.

Zhou Buqi had dinner with Wu Yu. During the meal, she blushed and asked softly, “Where are we going after dinner?”

“Hmm?”

Zhou Buqi, whose mind was full of entrepreneurial ideas, was slightly taken aback. Seeing her alluring appearance, he couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re different after your ‘coming-of-age’ ceremony, huh? So proactive?”

“No~~~”

Wu Yu pouted playfully, her pretty face flushed crimson.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Are you fully recovered? Does it not hurt anymore?”

Wu Yu lowered her head, her voice like a mosquito, “Almost.”

“So, staying out tonight?”

“Whatever.”

“What does ‘whatever’ mean?”

“I’ll listen to you.”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He wanted to tease her again, “Seeing as you’re still quite obedient, this young master will ‘flip your card’ tonight. You must keep up this momentum.”

Wu Yu looked confused, “Huh? What card?”

Zhou Buqi’s mouth twitched, “Never mind, I won’t say. I’ll go back and get my laptop, then we’ll get a room.”

This time, it wasn’t a five-star hotel, but a Hanting Express Hotel near the university, which cost just over one hundred yuan a night.

Shower, intimacy, shower.

Zhou Buqi, with a bath towel wrapped around his waist and bare-chested, took out his laptop to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting.

The so-called Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance had entrepreneurial clubs in each of the ten universities, some with thirty or forty people, others with just over a dozen. With so many enthusiastic and hardworking university students, it was time to find them some things to do.

“Husband, what are you writing?”

At this moment, Wu Yu had also finished showering. She was wrapped in a large bath towel, revealing her icy, snow-white shoulders and delicate, fair calves. She looked fresh and charming, wiping her wet hair with a towel.

Zhou Buqi didn’t even lift his head, “An entrepreneurial plan.”

“Can I see it?”

“Of course.”

Zhou Buqi patted his thigh.

Wu Yu pursed her lips into a smile and gracefully sat in his arms, looking at the computer screen. She murmured, ” ‘Top Scorer’s Notes for Gaokao’, ‘Postgraduate Entrance Exam Study Materials’ project… Husband, are you going to publish books?”

“I’m not publishing them; I’m finding work for others,” Zhou Buqi said casually.

“Can it be done?”

“It’s not difficult. As long as you put in a little effort, making money is easy. It just depends on how much you make.”

“Oh.”

Wu Yu nodded, half-understanding. She leaned back gently, feeling particularly warm and content in his embrace. She continued looking down and exclaimed in surprise, “Oh! This project is great, table advertisements! Husband, you’re so smart, how come I never thought of it?”

Zhou Buqi inhaled the scent of her hair and said domineeringly, “You don’t need to think about so much. It’s only right that I make money and you spend it.”

A flush of crimson appeared on Wu Yu’s exquisite and pretty face, a deep sense of happiness mixed with her shyness.

“Training institution guide project…”

“Corporate recruitment agency project…”

“Fast food delivery project…”

“Dormitory building convenience store…”

“Training institution… Huh? Wait!”

Wu Yu looked a little confused, pointing at the computer screen in surprise, and asked, “Husband, isn’t this a repeat? There are two training institutions.”

Zhou Buqi playfully bit her ear and chuckled, “Of course they’re different. The training institution guide project is about leading groups for training institutions like New Oriental or driving schools, organizing group discounts on campus to profit from the price difference. As for the training institution project, that’s finding part-time university students to be teachers and teach some primary and middle school students.”

Wu Yu was very pleased with his tenderness, feeling sweet inside. She leaned her head on his shoulder and said in a sugary, spoiled voice, “Husband, can you always be like this and not be mean to me?”

Zhou Buqi glared, and said coldly, “How can that be? Hitting is affection, scolding is love. No hitting or scolding is a disaster! If I spoil you every day, won’t you fly to the heavens? I think I need to find opportunities to beat you up a few more times, lest you forget the rules.”

“Husband, you’re annoying!”

Wu Yu was both shy and angry, pouting playfully.

…

The general meeting of the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance was convened again.

Zhou Buqi made his final appearance, handing the printed documents to Xue Baoshan to distribute.

“Let me briefly explain. The chain milk tea shop is our main business, and we should treat it as a career. However, as the weather turns colder, the milk tea industry enters its off-season. It can be said that in the next six months, the milk tea shops’ performance won’t be very good. So, I’ve found seven relatively easy part-time projects and distributed them to everyone, so you can earn some pocket money.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Baihui raised her hand to speak, “Boss Zhou, we are the Ten-University Alliance, and there are only seven projects. How will they be divided?”

Zhou Buqi said, “As I said, the milk tea shop is the main business. Liu Wenbo and Xue Baoshan are responsible for the overall operations of the milk tea shop, so they won’t participate in the part-time projects for now. Guo Pengfei has other arrangements and doesn’t need to participate either.”

Everyone else was fine, but he was mainly worried that Liu Wenbo would have an opinion. To appease him, Zhou Buqi added, “The expansion of the milk tea shops cannot stop. Next, there will be three stores at Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Renmin University of China, which need to be opened before November. Before December, we need to have milk tea shops in all the universities of our Ten-University Alliance. Wenbo, you will oversee this matter. The preparation budget for each new store is twenty thousand yuan. Additionally, for every new store that successfully opens, you will receive a commission of two thousand yuan.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Wenbo’s spirits were indeed lifted.

There were hundreds of universities in The Capital.

If a milk tea shop was opened in every university, wouldn’t the commission alone be two hundred thousand yuan?

Liu Wenbo was not Zhou Buqi’s confidant, so he didn’t know many things.

Not to mention anything else, once these part-time side projects that Zhou Buqi arranged for everyone were done well, could two hundred thousand yuan stop them?

Having settled Liu Wenbo, Zhou Buqi began to assign tasks.

The first item was the publishing project, which included “Top Scorer’s Notes for Gaokao” for high school students and “Postgraduate Entrance Exam Study Materials Compilation” for university students. If there was more energy, they could publish booklets like “16 Ways to Write a Beautiful Resume” and “38 Makeup Tips for Female Students to Become More Beautiful.” Publishing books was illegal, but printing and retailing some study materials was legal.

The person in charge of this project had to be from a top university, and Chen Dong from Peking University was the most suitable. Moreover, he also needed to secretly contact pirated publishers to make some quick money to improve their lives, which would be a perfect match.

The second item was the ground promotion advertising project. The university student group was special and highly favored by businesses. However, universities had strong protectionism, and without student channels, even Fortune 500 companies found it difficult to advertise on campus.

The scope of this project was vast, and Zhou Buqi only picked one point: cafeteria table advertisements.

University cafeterias were all outsourced, and the contractors lacked systematic business thinking, which provided opportunities for university student entrepreneurship. University students could contract the exclusive advertising rights for all cafeteria tables from the contractors, and then contact off-campus businesses to help them place advertisements on the tables, earning a price difference.

This project was relatively simple, with low investment, quick results, and high income. Zhou Buqi entrusted it to Senior Sister Zhen Yu. Her emotions had been unstable, and she might not be able to withstand greater entrepreneurial pressure.

The third item was the training institution guide project, which was a core major project.

In short, it was group buying!

Organizing enough students in the university, and then negotiating and bargaining with businesses in the name of a large group of consumers to earn a price difference. Once successful, they could directly establish a group buying website and challenge Taobao. It was only 2004 now; if a group buying website appeared, it would be a dimension-reducing strike against Taobao.

The coverage of group buying was too broad. Zhou Buqi chose the easiest to operate, no-capital business: contacting training institutions like New Oriental, driving schools, or postgraduate entrance exam classes, and placing orders in the name of group buying.

If successful, they could use training guides as an entry point to open up the group buying market.

Currently, this was a side project, but in the future, it was very likely to become a main business. Therefore, Zhou Buqi attached great importance to this project and entrusted it to Ji Zian, a very capable talent from Renmin University of China.

The fourth item was the corporate recruitment agency project.

During hotel peak seasons, temporary part-time service staff would be hired, or etiquette models for exhibition centers, real estate companies distributing flyers, urgent shipments from certain factories, etc., all required a large number of temporary workers.

However, they had no channels to enter universities, and students had no channels to access this information. This project was about building trust and connecting university students with off-campus businesses. Even at a higher level, many art troupes needed “audiences” for their performances, and a high-quality university student group could undoubtedly cooperate better.

The person in charge of this project was Xu Baihui, who had excellent communication skills. Moreover, she was a girl, beautiful as a flower, and could gain double trust from both students and businesses.

The fifth item was the fast food delivery project.

This was easy to understand. University students were very lazy and didn’t want to go out to eat. At this point, as long as a team contacted small restaurants outside the university, they could provide phone ordering services. The entrepreneurial team would extract a commission from the businesses; even if the commission was as high as 30%, businesses would rush to join.

This task was physically demanding and required a strong execution team. Zhou Buqi entrusted it to Zhang Yinlei, who was hardworking and able to endure hardships.

The sixth item was the dormitory building convenience store project.

Again, university students were very lazy, too lazy to go to the supermarket to buy things. In this case, they could cooperate with interested dormitories. The entrepreneurial team would provide the goods, and the dormitories would provide the space for sales. The profits would be split fifty-fifty, which would also yield a considerable income.

More importantly, every dormitory building could have such a convenience store. A university had at least seven or eight dormitory buildings, or even more than ten. How big was this market space?

The person in charge of this task was Meng Houkun.

Zhou Buqi had guided him for several days on the issue of sourcing goods; he had to go to the wholesale market himself and handle it.

The seventh item, the training institution project, was led by Ma Pingshan.

Chapter 67: Universities Can Also Be Goldmines

“Our Entrepreneurship Alliance isn’t just for show; it has a real purpose. Since these seven side projects are under the Alliance’s leadership, you can naturally leverage some of its resources, like the reputation of Yuanwei milk tea shop. Don’t underestimate this chain store; revealing your founder status at the right time will help you achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

“These projects are neither too difficult nor too simple. Those who need startup capital can apply; if you lose money, you lose it. If you succeed, the profits will be split fifty-fifty. Half you keep, to be distributed among your own entrepreneurial clubs. How you divide it is up to you.”

“If you’re unsure about anything, you can come to me for advice. However, it’s impossible for me to help you specifically operate the projects! I’ll only point you in the right direction; whether you can succeed depends on you. Of course, it’s okay to fail. As I said, these are just side ventures, small-scale operations. You can focus all your energy on the milk tea shop’s operations and the future expansion of our main business.”

Zhou Buqi’s words undoubtedly made everyone present feel considerable pressure.

The conference room was rather subdued.

Liu Wenbo smiled, reassuring everyone: “It’s okay, it’s entrepreneurship, don’t be afraid of failure. Courage is more important than a degree from Tsinghua or Peking University. Take more confident steps, dare to venture and fight, and only then will you make progress. It’s okay to fail; just consider it gaining experience.”

Those were quite eloquent words.

He truly had the demeanor of a second-in-command.

Unfortunately, he had long since lost Zhou Buqi’s trust.

Zhou Buqi nodded lightly and said, “I’ll add something to broaden everyone’s perspective. These seven projects, though seemingly different on the surface, are essentially the same when you look deeper: they’re about building relationship channels both inside and outside the universities. So, during the preparation process, everyone should communicate more and maximize the use of our Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance platform. The better you utilize it, the greater your chance of success.”

“However, there’s one thing I must remind everyone: you must abide by business rules and prioritize the protection of business secrets. There’s no superior-subordinate relationship among you, so you can share resources and information, but your finances must remain independent. If you’re running a convenience store, don’t ask about the performance of a training institution; if you’re doing ground promotion advertising, don’t borrow money from a publishing project.”

“I have high hopes for all of you. I hope you can have a broader perspective and not just stare at money. Remember, if you make money just for the sake of making money, it’s hard to earn big money. Strive for your ideals, and countless riches will gravitate towards you. Let’s all encourage each other.”

“One last thing: I ordered 5,000 copies of the China Food magazine from the Food Research Institute—the issue that criticized Pearl Milk Tea. When each new store opens, take out 500 copies and distribute them for free on campus to create a wave of marketing.”

…

The meeting ended, but three people didn’t leave: Zhen Yu, Meng Houkun, and Guo Pengfei.

“Senior Sister Zhen?”

Zhou Buqi was a little surprised, finding it unexpected that this somewhat unsociable second-year graduate student from Central University of Finance and Economics had stayed.

Zhen Yu’s face flushed, a little embarrassed. “Boss… Boss Zhou, I’m not very good at this.”

Zhou Buqi said firmly, “Senior Sister Zhen, you can definitely do it.”

“I…”

“Trust me, and trust yourself, okay?”

“But…”

At this moment, Meng Houkun also persuaded, “Senior Sister Zhen, you can definitely do it. Go ahead and do it boldly. Didn’t Boss Zhou say it’s okay to fail? You have to be brave enough to try.”

Zhen Yu said dejectedly, “But I don’t understand any of it. I’m sorry, I’m really not as good as you all.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, “Senior Sister Zhen, even if you don’t say it yourself, I can guess a bit about your situation. You’ve probably encountered some trouble with your personal relationships, right? I know you might have joined this Entrepreneurship Alliance just to relax and distract yourself.”

As soon as he said this, Zhen Yu’s face instantly turned pale.

Zhou Buqi continued, unconcerned, “I don’t know the specifics of what happened. But, Senior Sister Zhen Yu, you really should step out and embrace this world with a broader mindset, shouldn’t you? You’re so beautiful, there’s really no need to be stuck in the quagmire of emotions; that’s being a frog in a well. Look at Baihui and Baoshan, don’t they have stories? Of course they do, but how wonderful are their outward appearances? That’s what a modern new woman is like.”

“I just don’t understand much.” Zhen Yu lowered her head and remained silent for a while before slowly looking up.

Guo Pengfei chuckled, “It’s okay if you don’t understand. Let Zhou Buqi teach you. This kid knows everything; he has a natural business mind.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Table advertising, actually, isn’t hard to operate. You just need to sort out the cafeterias and determine the price for each table. As for businesses outside the university, you can contact other members. They’re also working on projects that connect businesses and students, so they should have plenty of business resources. Ask them for help.”

“Oh, I see.” Zhen Yu breathed a sigh of relief. “That sounds quite simple.”

Zhou Buqi smiled and said softly, “This project isn’t difficult to operate, which means it lacks operational barriers. Once it’s up and running, for one university… a net profit of twenty to thirty thousand yuan a month is considered low, and fifty to sixty thousand yuan isn’t much. We have ten universities, so how much money do you think we can earn?”

“What?”

Zhen Yu’s eyes widened, her demeanor suddenly changing. Where was the timid, weak appearance from before? The sharpness in her eyes was no less than Liu Wenbo’s.

Meng Houkun and Guo Pengfei were also greatly surprised, exclaiming in disbelief.

Zhou Buqi saw the change in Senior Sister Zhen Yu’s demeanor and chuckled inwardly, saying calmly, “What? You don’t believe me? Then let me do the math for you. To contract cafeteria tables from the university, 3 yuan per table per month is enough. But what if you sublease them to businesses? 20 yuan, even 30 yuan, isn’t too much!”

“Ah?”

Zhen Yu, Meng Houkun, and Guo Pengfei exclaimed in unison.

For a top university like Beike University, with tens of thousands of students, there are at least 1,500 cafeteria tables.

Calculating that… couldn’t you really net over 30,000 yuan a month?

Just by putting up ads, you can earn so much money?

It’s like finding money!

Zhou Buqi said, “Right now is a period of intense competition among beverage companies, and this is The Capital, so competition is fierce. For example, Pepsi and Coca-Cola invest seventy to eighty million yuan in advertising in Beijing every year. Spending tens of millions of yuan to invest in universities, isn’t that normal?”

Zhen Yu completely lost her previous fragile appearance. Clenching her fists, she said, “Boss Zhou, I’m full of confidence now! You’re right, let’s approach Pepsi and Coca-Cola!”

“Mhm, Wanglaoji works too. The more fiercely they compete, the more we earn.”

“I’m just afraid people will get jealous.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “That’s for sure. The country just joined the WTO not long ago, and new ideas are just flooding in. There are too many deserts of business opportunities waiting for us to explore. Table advertising has no operational barriers; as long as someone gets involved, others will definitely follow suit. So, during the initial planning, make sure the contracts are signed properly.”

Meng Houkun added, “Right, we must use contracts to bind them properly. First, it must be exclusive advertising, so we have more bargaining power with the businesses. Second, the contract term must be long, the longer the better!”

Guo Pengfei shook his head, “These kinds of contracts are usually signed with cafeteria contractors. It depends on how many years the cafeteria contractor signed with the university. It’s usually three years.”

Meng Houkun frowned, “If that’s the case, it really will be hard to sign long-term contracts. Once the contracts expire, it’ll be a red ocean.”

Zhou Buqi concluded, “You’re absolutely right. So, this kind of creative business is about making a quick buck and leaving—a one-time deal, one contract, and then withdraw when it expires. Once everyone discovers that table advertising can make money, the cafeteria contractors might just do it themselves.”

Guo Pengfei murmured, “Yeah, this earning potential is even higher than the milk tea shops.”

Zhou Buqi said, “As I said, one is about making money, and the other is about building a career. There’s no comparison.”

After discussing this matter, the three young men escorted Senior Sister Zhen Yu out together.

Meng Houkun was from China Agricultural University, right next to Beike University, so he wasn’t in a hurry.

After she left, he lowered his voice and asked, “Boss Zhou, are you really letting Liu Wenbo be the Executive Vice President?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you worried?”

Zhou Buqi found it a bit amusing. “You stayed behind just to ask me this?”

Meng Houkun frowned, staring intently at him. “I don’t believe it; you must have a grudge in your heart.”

Guo Pengfei heard this but paid no attention. He wasn’t skilled at understanding people’s hearts, nor did he comprehend power tactics and schemes, so he simply didn’t participate. He trusted Zhou Buqi to handle it well.

Zhou Buqi patted Meng Houkun’s shoulder and chuckled, “If you can figure it out, think it through. If you can’t, don’t overthink it. Your current task is to manage the logistics of the milk tea shops, and then set up the convenience stores. Every dormitory building in all ten universities must have one!”

Meng Houkun said unhappily, “Speaking of which, what kind of task did you assign me? Running a convenience store? You actually came up with that.”

Zhou Buqi said, annoyed, “I wasted my time taking you to so many wholesale markets, and you don’t know how big the profit margin is between wholesale and retail channels? I’m telling you, for one dormitory building, I guarantee you can net one thousand yuan a month, no problem! At your China Agricultural University, you could easily earn five to six thousand yuan a month.”

“That’s still not as good as cafeteria advertising.”

“Hm?”

“No, that’s not what I mean, it’s not about the money.”

“Go on.”

Zhou Buqi looked at him calmly.

Meng Houkun scratched his head, a bit sheepishly. “I just feel… this project is a bit too low-end. If my girlfriend found out I was running a convenience store, wouldn’t she laugh me to death?”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was serious as he said calmly, “Meng Houkun, your vision really needs to expand. In my opinion, the importance of convenience stores far exceeds that of table advertising. This is a traffic-driving project for our main business, understand?”

“Traffic-driving project?”

Meng Houkun truly didn’t understand, and Guo Pengfei next to him also looked curious.

Zhou Buqi said, “For all businesses, the goal of marketing is to attract traffic. So-called traffic refers to customer flow. You can imagine that as our milk tea shops expand, many people will get jealous and follow suit, and many competitors will gradually appear. I ask you, how do you compete for traffic with those competitors?”

Chapter 68: Driving Traffic

“This question is a bit too profound.”

“It’s not something university students like Meng Houkun or Guo Pengfei could answer.”

“Maybe ten years from now, it would be different. In the era of mobile internet, all kinds of information will be overwhelming, and university students’ thinking will be more innovative.”

“But it’s 2004 now, and the general mindset of university students is still relatively conservative.”

“There was no other way; Zhou Buqi could only answer his own question.”

“‘If Yuanwei milk tea encounters a competitor, we can start by targeting the source of traffic. Where is the source? Of course, it’s the dormitory buildings, and the convenience stores in the dorms can play the biggest role.’”

“‘Let me give you an example. As a supplier to the convenience stores, it’s not too much to ask for a monopoly on their advertising, right? We can put up Yuanwei milk tea signs. For instance, the milk tea shop can issue vouchers. How? By cooperating with the convenience stores. If a customer spends twenty yuan or more in a single transaction at the convenience store, they get a two-yuan voucher for the milk tea shop. This not only increases the convenience store’s sales and our supply volume but also drives customer traffic to the milk tea shop and strikes at competitors.’”

“‘Using this idea, the traffic-driving effect of the convenience stores won’t be limited to just the milk tea shop. When we promote other industries in the future, we can also use the convenience stores to drive traffic. In a university, dormitory buildings are the source of traffic. If we grasp this point well, we can stand undefeated.’”

Meng Houkun and Guo Pengfei exchanged glances, both completely stunned.

Oh My Goodness!

Business could be played like this?

What an eye-opener!

Boss was indeed Boss; his business acumen was sharp, and his strategic planning was far-reaching.

Inspired by this, Meng Houkun expanded his thinking, stroking his chin as he slowly said, “So, the role of the convenience store is huge! The other six side projects, all dependent on the student demographic, can all use the convenience store to drive traffic!”

Zhou Buqi smiled at him. “Finally caught on?”

Meng Houkun took a deep breath, feeling his fighting spirit surge.

Indeed, compared to his convenience store project, his girlfriend’s discount card project was utterly insignificant.

…

“Sigh, I really admire you.”

Watching Meng Houkun’s retreating back, Guo Pengfei sighed from the bottom of his heart.

Zhou Buqi found it amusing. “What is it now?”

Guo Pengfei said seriously, “To be honest, when we first formed the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, I had a lot of reservations. Most of the initial team members were brought in by Ji Zian, and Ji Zian was brought in by Liu Wenbo. Yet, in just over a month, you’ve managed to win them over one by one, and we’re almost a solid unit.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm as he said indifferently, “If I couldn’t even do that, why would I bother recruiting a bunch of university students? The current gradual development is, in the end, for the sake of a strong core team.”

“Yes, I know.” Guo Pengfei nodded heavily. “I think you’ve achieved it.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled. “Not yet. I still don’t know anything about those three girls’ thoughts.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

Guo Pengfei rolled his eyes and repeatedly pouted. “Xu Baihui looks like she’s offering herself for free, do you think I can’t tell? Xue Baoshan, with her quiet and peaceful demeanor, definitely has a great impression of you too. As for Senior Sister Zhen Yu, there’s no need to even mention her. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice just now.”

“Notice what?”

“She’s faking it!”

“Oh?” Zhou Buqi looked at him with a half-smile.

Guo Pengfei snorted coldly. “A simple project like table advertising, I don’t believe Senior Sister Zhen Yu couldn’t do it. In my opinion, she’s looking for a topic to get close to you, deliberately acting weak and frail to elicit your sympathy.”

Zhou Buqi looked somewhat smug and burst out laughing. “Don’t talk nonsense. Senior Sister Zhen Yu clearly hasn’t moved on from an emotional quagmire.”

“The best way to say goodbye to one relationship is to start a new one.” Guo Pengfei had never been in a relationship, yet he spoke logically and well-reasoned, with strong theoretical grounding.

Zhou Buqi stretched. “Sigh! No choice, my personal charm is too great. But she’s not suitable for me. She’s too… how should I put it, she has a strong personality and definitely wouldn’t accept me having other girlfriends. Better to keep our distance early to avoid hurting each other.”

“Holy crap! You Scumbag!”

Guo Pengfei almost spat blood in anger, cursing loudly.

He couldn’t even find a girlfriend and was miserable every day. But Zhou Buqi, on the other hand, was already fantasizing about having multiple women. He was definitely a Scumbag!

Too much of a Scumbag!

“Thanks for the compliment.” Zhou Buqi twitched his lips indifferently. “Alright, let’s find a place. I need to tell you something serious. Yes, something absolutely major.”

“Then let’s go to the cafeteria.”

On the way to the cafeteria, Zhou Buqi called Wu Yu. “Hello? Where are you?”

“Out shopping with my roommates.” Wu Yu’s voice was filled with cheerfulness, accompanied by bursts of giggling from other girls nearby.

“Mm.” Zhou Buqi’s tone was relaxed. “Where are you going tonight?”

“Any… anywhere.” Wu Yu lowered her voice, full of shyness.

“Want to get a room again?”

“Whatever works.”

“What do you think?”

“I’ll listen to you.”

“Can’t you have an opinion? You’re so stupid!” Zhou Buqi scolded her irritably a few more times. “Alright, when you come back later, just get a room outside campus. No more Hanting; the beds are too uncomfortable. Go to a better hotel.”

After he hung up, Guo Pengfei looked at him with a resentful expression.

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Buqi was puzzled.

“How can you talk like that?” Guo Pengfei was very displeased.

Zhou Buqi retorted, annoyed, “How am I talking? What does it have to do with you?”

Guo Pengfei said righteously, “That girl has given herself to you; you should treat her well, care for her, cherish her. Why do you scold her for no reason?”

“Scold her? I haven’t even hit her yet! If you don’t hit or scold, how do you discipline?” Zhou Buqi said self-righteously.

Guo Pengfei was truly enraged to the point of spitting blood, pointing at him. “You, you, you… Zhou Buqi, I’ve never seen anyone as much of a Scumbag as you! You’re too much of a Scumbag! Too detestable!”

“You don’t know anything. You’re just a simp, destined to be single.” Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes, quite annoyed.

“Destined to what?”

Guo Pengfei didn’t understand.

Zhou Buqi waved a hand. “Alright, less nonsense. My business is none of yours. If you have the ability to make your business successful and get rich, countless women will offer themselves for free to you. Your Envy, Jealousy, and Hatred are useless now.”

They arrived at the cafeteria, bought two bottles of cola, found a corner, and sat down to Cross-examine.

Zhou Buqi spoke, and Guo Pengfei listened.

This time, Zhou Buqi spoke candidly, explaining his business ideas he had planned during the summer vacation.

The internet was the general trend.

He wanted to establish a colossal internet technology company.

Which direction?

It was 2004, and BAT had already set sail, beginning to carve up the domestic internet market, forming a three-way split.

If Zhou Buqi wanted to become a significant figure in the internet domain, he had to seize territory from these three companies. However, all three BAT companies had extremely strong moats.

Among the three, Baidu’s moat was the strongest; whoever touched it would die. Alibaba’s barriers were equally solid; even foreign e-commerce giants, despite investing countless sums, had to admit defeat.

Comparatively, Tencent was a bit weaker.

Tencent QQ had a poor reputation; industry elites primarily recommended MSN Messenger, and major companies even banned Tencent QQ, only allowing MSN Messenger for work. Unable to enter the high-end market, Tencent QQ could only attract users in the low-end market.

At this point, Guo Pengfei deeply resonated. “Indeed, compared to MSN Messenger, Tencent QQ doesn’t seem like a chat tool as much as a gaming tool; its entertainment attributes are too strong.”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him. “Then who do you think will have the last laugh, MSN Messenger or Tencent QQ?”

“Huh?” Guo Pengfei was momentarily stunned, finding the question ridiculous. “It’s definitely MSN Messenger! It’s a Microsoft product, don’t tell me you don’t know that.”

Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes. “Users, users are king! Whoever has more users is stronger, understand? It’s not about having more elite users that determines a larger living space. The domestic internet market promotes free services. How many years do you think MSN Messenger can survive?”

Guo Pengfei felt it necessary to argue, saying dismissively, “Yes, I understand what you mean. Tencent QQ is more fun, more attractive, and has a larger user base. So what? Don’t forget, MSN Messenger is a Microsoft product. If Microsoft were to be ruthless and make Windows incompatible with Tencent QQ, do you think Tencent could still survive?”

Zhou Buqi twitched his lips. “Don’t worry, the Americans don’t allow such malicious competition. Microsoft tried to block Netscape Navigator back then and ended up being sued and paying a huge sum. If that method worked, Microsoft would have long since killed Kingsoft WPS.”

“Uh… is that so?”

Guo Pengfei scratched his head.

In fact, Bill Gates had indeed considered such an idea, using the Windows system to block Tencent QQ, as China lacked an anti-monopoly mechanism. However, it was later rejected by President Tang of Microsoft Asia-Pacific.

Zhou Buqi waved his hand and whispered, “You just need to know that MSN Messenger is no match for Tencent QQ. As for why, it’s because Tencent QQ is more low-brow.”

“Oh, why are you saying this?”

“Don’t rush, just listen slowly.”

Zhou Buqi paused, then continued, “As I said before, the first priority in business operations is driving traffic. In other words, even though Tencent seems humble and weak now, as long as Tencent QQ develops into the largest online traffic-driving tool as expected, Tencent will flourish. So, my first stop in online planning is online social networking. With traffic from a social platform, we’ll have the fundamental guarantee to tap into a larger internet market. Tencent QQ takes a low-brow approach, mainly focusing on chatting with the opposite sex. I want to create a platform and chat tool that is even closer to the essence of opposite-sex chatting, focusing on male-female pairing to seize the social market.”

“Oh.” Guo Pengfei seemed to understand, yet not quite.

“But we lack experience. How exactly should we run a matchmaking (as a field) platform of this nature? It’s hard to even grasp the appropriate scale. So, I want to open a matchmaking company first, to gain experience and to achieve offline-to-online traffic conversion.”

“So that’s why you want to build a matchmaking platform!”

“Exactly.”

Zhou Buqi nodded. “To drive traffic to the matchmaking company, I prepared to set up a chain of milk tea shops. This is the entire sequence of events, and the essential logic is driving traffic.”

Guo Pengfei excitedly rubbed his hands. “That’s a great idea!”

“However, it won’t work now.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, shaking his head.

Chapter 69: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

If Zhou Buqi had been reborn a few years earlier, his business ventures would have been much easier.

However, by 2004, BAT was already setting sail. For Zhou Buqi to become a giant in the future internet landscape, he would inevitably have to carve out a large chunk of territory from these three powerful entities.

After much thought, Zhou Buqi had set his sights on Tencent, which currently had the weakest moat.

At that time, Tencent was struggling, on one hand, battling the strong competition from Microsoft’s MSN Messenger, and on the other, enduring the invisible suppression from domestic mobile carriers. Life was tough for them.

But now, just over a month later, his plan had fallen through.

Principal Hu had earnestly advised Zhou Buqi, clearly telling him that he was currently a student, and needed to be low-key, steady, upright, and do what a student should do.

The subtext of that statement was very rich.

Zhou Buqi had originally planned to dabble in opposite-sex social networking. MSN Messenger was targeting the high-end market, while he would target the low-end, hitting Tencent QQ from both sides and seizing the internet beachhead.

In later years, when Tencent was invincible, Momo had successfully carved out a large chunk of the social networking pie with this very approach, achieving over one hundred million daily active users.

It was only 2004 now. An early move might genuinely topple the behemoth.

However, Principal Hu’s guidance made him realize that this approach was not suitable for his identity as a student, nor for his position as the chief of the University Entrepreneurship Alliance.

This wasn’t just a matter of being healthy or unhealthy; it also concerned the image of a top-tier university.

Starting a business in The Capital offered various advantages, but also many disadvantages, one of which was having to consider relationships from all sides.

If he were in the reform-pioneering south, he wouldn’t have to worry so much. Kuaibo could run rampant, openly advertising: “Kuaibo, you know it,” moving countless otaku.

If that were to happen in a university in The Capital, they would have been arrested long ago, just like Liu Wenbo.

“What do we do then? Give up? That would be such a waste.”

Guo Pengfei felt that Zhou Buqi’s industry plan was excellent, as it could both lead the entrepreneurial team, enhancing their abilities, and also lay the groundwork for greater endeavors in the future.

It was truly killing two birds with one stone.

Zhou Buqi sighed, “Opposite-sex social networking is a sensitive area after all. Once the product truly goes online, it will definitely be distorted and subjected to moral condemnation from society. We are students; we can’t bear that kind of public pressure. Moreover, I’m currently building my foundation; I can’t lose sight of the bigger picture for something minor.”

“Then what?” Guo Pengfei asked.

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “Then we’ll just have to go in hard!”

“Go in hard? Directly enter the internet social networking field? Make a chat software?” Guo Pengfei blinked.

“Of course not. Chat software is too competitive now. MSN Messenger and Tencent QQ are locked in a fierce battle, which directly squeezed out Yahoo Messenger and NetEase Popo. That’s a red ocean; we can’t break through.”

“Then what?”

“Do you know about a website in America called Facebook?”

“No.”

“Hmm, go back and research it.”

“Make a similar website?”

Zhou Buqi smiled at him, “Similar? No need. Just copy the original directly. Get the design done first, then we can slowly adjust it.”

Guo Pengfei said casually, “It’s just a website, how hard can that be? Our school’s BBS forum was made by two people in a week.”

Zhou Buqi cursed, “That broken forum counts as a website? Go back and study it properly. Didn’t I tell you to organize relevant talent a long time ago? If it’s not enough, contact Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications to gather all the talent.”

…

Wu Yu wanted to eat KFC.

For dinner, the two went to the nearest store.

Wu Yu went straight to find a seat, while Zhou Buqi went to order. The cashier, whose back was to him, said hello, then turned around and was startled.

Wasn’t this Yan Xinlei, the gaming expert from his dorm?

Yan Xinlei was a little surprised, then pleasantly surprised, “What a coincidence?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “Yeah, I came here to eat something with my girlfriend. Over there, the one in the white hoodie.”

“So beautiful?” Yan Xinlei’s eyes widened, and he gave a thumbs-up, “Impressive, you’re blessed.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “I heard from the dorm leader that you were looking for a part-time job. I didn’t expect you to come here. How is it?”

Apparently, he was playing Fantasy Westward Journey and met a ‘Husband’ online, wanting to earn some money from a part-time job to buy a phone for easier contact.

“It’s alright.”

Yan Xinlei lowered his voice, “The part-time job here pays three yuan an hour. I can come after class every day. If I work three hours a day, I can buy a phone before the end of this semester.”

This was almost the minimum wage standard in The Capital.

And it was aimed at highly educated university students. It could be asserted that it was a rip-off!

Yet, Yan Xinlei still looked self-satisfied, full of infinite aspirations for the future.

This made Zhou Buqi feel a little sad.

When did university students have to become the lowest-tier laborers in society? And the other person didn’t even show dissatisfaction, just a simple, contented smile.

This scene made Zhou Buqi realize the significant meaning of the seven part-time side-business projects he was launching, and he even felt that he carried some kind of historical mission on his shoulders.

Having been reborn, shouldn’t he do something for the university student group?

To allow them to have more platforms to showcase their abilities, instead of being cruelly exploited by unscrupulous businesses.

At this moment, the restaurant manager looked over and sternly questioned, “Yan Xinlei, is that customer your friend?”

Yan Xinlei quickly put on a fawning smile and said ingratiatingly, “He’s a customer, I’m just telling him about the food.”

Zhou Buqi also smiled, “Yes, he’s a customer.”

After ordering, while waiting, the two continued to chat in low voices.

“I remember the Student Union had some work-study programs, didn’t they? You didn’t go?”

“I went, but I didn’t feel right about it.”

“Why?”

“There are only so few part-time positions on campus. They are usually secured by the Student Union from professors, like organizing documents, distributing materials, assistant-type work.”

Zhou Buqi found it strange, “Isn’t that good? Working part-time on campus is convenient too.”

Yan Xinlei shook his head and sighed, “Those positions should be left for students from impoverished backgrounds. How can I compete with them? Besides, the income from on-campus part-time jobs is even lower. The only benefit is that it won’t interfere with classes.”

“Hmm, they should indeed be left for students from impoverished backgrounds.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, his mood growing even heavier.

Since coming to university, he had been floating, directing affairs and busy with big matters, never settling down to pay attention to the real situation in the university.

His conversation with Yan Xinlei made him feel a great deal of pressure.

Carrying the tray back to the table, Wu Yu asked him in surprise, “What’s wrong? You look so upset?”

Zhou Buqi sighed and said wistfully, “I suddenly remembered a line from Spider-Man: ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’”

Wu Yu was confused, “Husband, what’s wrong?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, took a few sips of cold cola, then suddenly looked up and said very seriously, “Xiaoyu, I think life shouldn’t just be about making money. We should do something meaningful. At this moment, I truly understand the profound meaning of Principal Hu’s teachings. I am a university student, and I want to do something for the university student group.”

Wu Yu’s eyes shone like the North Star at night, brilliant and bright, filled with adoration, “Husband, I love you.”

Zhou Buqi ignored her, sighing, “In foreign universities, tuition fees are very expensive, but as long as you work hard and participate in work-study programs, it’s easy to earn enough for tuition and living expenses, and you can even buy a decent car. It’s not like that domestically. I heard that if you’re a student, they’ll try to drive down your wages to the death, ruthlessly exploiting you. It’s like this outside campus, and it’s like this inside campus too.”

Then, he heavily clenched his fist, veins bulging on his arm, and said in a deep voice, “I want to create a platform specifically for university students. Those who want to start a business, those who want part-time jobs, those who want to take the Postgraduate Entrance Exam, those who want to buy low-priced items, they can all come to this platform for consultation.”

Wu Yu’s eyes were moist, and she lifted her delicate, pretty face, softly murmuring, “Husband, you can definitely do it.”

Chapter 70: The Value of Ideals

After the meal, Zhou Buqi took out his phone and removed the SIM card.

Then, under Wu Yu’s astonished gaze, he walked to the counter and handed the phone to Yan Xinlei.

“This…”

Yan Xinlei was stunned, somewhat at a loss.

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, “I was just thinking of getting a new phone. Since you need one, I’ll give you this old one.”

Not just Yan Xinlei, but all the service staff at the counter were dumbfounded.

Including the manager with the strict expression.

They looked at the two of them with a strange, almost monstrous gaze.

A phone?

Given away?

That was a Motorola V3, the first ultra-thin phone, hailed as “the legend among phones.” The phones used in domestic and international movies were basically this model.

Its domestic price was at least five thousand yuan!

Just given away like that?

Too old?

Don’t be silly, this phone only entered the domestic market last month, okay?

Zhou Buqi didn’t pay attention to others’ gazes. He shoved the phone into Yan Xinlei’s hand, “Don’t be foolish, just take it when I give it to you.”

“Old Zhou, I…”

“Alright, no more talk. Also, don’t work here anymore. Go back and wait for my news. University students shouldn’t suffer this kind of humiliation.”

Having given away the phone, Zhou Buqi led Wu Yu away, under the astonished gazes of everyone present.

The restaurant manager seemed like a changed person, walking over with a smile, “Little Yan, was that your friend just now?”

“Yes.”

Yan Xinlei was still a bit slow to react, feeling a mix of gain and loss.

“He gave you a phone? Let me see it, I’ll give you some advice,” the restaurant manager said with a smile.

“Oh.” Yan Xinlei didn’t think much of it and handed the phone over.

The restaurant manager took the phone and his heart suddenly leaped, his breathing becoming a little rapid.

It was real!

It really was a Motorola V3!

Last month, he had seen it in a specialty store; it cost over five thousand five hundred yuan, and he hadn’t been willing to buy it. How could this phone have any depreciation? It was at least ninety-five percent new.

The restaurant manager took a deep breath, showed a very friendly smile, and lowered his voice, saying, “Little Yan, how about you sell this phone to me for one thousand yuan?”

“Ah?”

Yan Xinlei froze, as if hit by a second severe blow.

Damn it! What kind of routine, trick, strategy is this?

The restaurant manager added more weight, whispering, “As long as you sell the phone to me, your part-time job hourly wage will be raised to three yuan fifty cents from now on. That’s not much less than the full-time employees.”

“No, I won’t sell it.”

Yan Xinlei wasn’t stupid. How could he do something so utterly despicable?

The restaurant manager hesitated, then said, “How about this, one thousand five hundred yuan! I want this phone!”

“No, this was given to me by my classmate.” Yan Xinlei shook his head like a rattle-drum.

The restaurant manager frowned, very displeased, and said in a deep voice, “Little Yan, you need to think carefully. This one thousand five hundred yuan is free money for you! With this money, you can buy a new phone! One thousand eight hundred yuan, at most. Just sell the phone to me.”

Yan Xinlei was also a bit annoyed, suppressing his anger, he said, “Manager, I told you, this phone cannot be sold!”

“Little Yan, do you not want to work here anymore?”

Left with no choice, the restaurant manager used his ultimate move.

Won’t sell?

If you don’t sell, I’ll fire you!

Go wherever you want, don’t work part-time here anymore!

In his view, by employing university students for part-time work, he wasn’t exploiting student labor, but rather bestowing a favor upon them.

Yan Xinlei was so angry he laughed. He glanced at the manager, his expression cold, “Sorry, I really don’t want to work here anymore!”

…

Giving away a phone, taking a taxi to Zhongguancun to buy a new one.

Phones in this era didn’t have many functional requirements. So-called camera and music features, from Zhou Buqi’s perspective as someone who had lived through it, were quite useless.

He simply bought a straight-bar Nokia, durable and cheap.

However, Wu Yu’s eyes kept looking at the nearby laptop stalls, her little eyes full of expectation.

Zhou Buqi smiled at her, “What? Want to buy one?”

Wu Yu’s face turned crimson, and she pursed her lips, not speaking.

Zhou Buqi leaned into her ear, teasing, “If you want it, just say so. Isn’t it natural for me to buy things for you? What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

“No, not really.”

Wu Yu’s cheeks flushed, feeling very shy.

“Honestly, your shy look is really beautiful. At least among all the girls I’ve met, you’re the prettiest.”

“That’s not true.”

“What’s that phrase again? Like a flower bud about to bloom.”

Zhou Buqi continued to tease, then his eyes shifted, and he felt something was off, changing his words, “No, no, this flower bud has already bloomed.”

Wu Yu looked confused, “What do you mean?”

Zhou Buqi leaned close to her ear and whispered, “That day in Wangfujing, didn’t your flower bud just bloom?”

“Ah! You’re so annoying!”

Wu Yu stomped her foot in great embarrassment, her face as red as an apple, and turned to leave.

Zhou Buqi smiled and pulled her back, “Let’s go, let’s buy a computer.”

The shop’s name was still familiar—JD.com.

…

Many world-class entrepreneurs have made similar statements: if you strive for a noble ideal, wealth will naturally gravitate towards you.

Abroad, there are Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Eric Schmidt, and so on. Domestically, there are Alibaba, Fuyao Glass, BOE, Hikvision, Huawei, and many others.

In his previous life, Zhou Buqi couldn’t understand this argument, thinking it was just toxic success stories from big shots after they made it, utterly nonsensical.

Reborn into this life, he had a profound understanding of it.

University students are the most important backbone of the nation; they will be the pillars of this country’s future.

However, with the expansion of enrollment, university students seem to be becoming less valuable, their status increasingly lower. Any random person in society, even with a primary school education and a bit of money, dares to presumptuously lecture them.

A small manager at a KFC dares to casually exploit university students from top-tier prestigious schools.

This is unimaginable in developed countries abroad.

For the motherland to become stronger, the most important thing is to prevent brain drain. Let them know that the opportunities for self-realization available abroad are also available domestically.

For university students, this means creating a good learning and living environment for them, fostering a sense of belonging, and providing corresponding platforms for them to showcase themselves.

This was Zhou Buqi’s short-term ideal.

And when he saw this ideal from the perspective of a reborn person, Zhou Buqi was shocked.

He profoundly understood the meaning of “ideal.”

Completely different from the high-level empty talk in classrooms and textbooks, there were real, tangible benefits here.

He wanted to build a platform, a website, to spread out several main part-time job projects.

For example, Postgraduate Entrance Exam consulting.

In the future, this would be a major tailwind in online education.

For example, food delivery.

In the future, this would be a new era of life that improves the national lifestyle and shines globally.

For example, group buying.

Not to mention the “Thousand Group War,” a typical example is Pinduoduo.

For example, alumni social networking.

And many more.

A platform serving university students, an ideal—once it operates well, it can actually incubate so many potentially huge projects!

Zhou Buqi couldn’t hold back. He wrote a proposal detailing the seven side businesses he was currently operating, then summarized them, proposing his ultimate ideal—to serve university students.

In the morning, he made an appointment.

In the afternoon, Principal Hu summoned him.

This was Zhou Buqi’s second time seeing Principal Hu, and he felt increasingly that this slightly hunched old man was amiable and kind.

“Seven projects? All at once?”

Principal Hu put on his reading glasses, glanced at the proposal, and couldn’t help but be surprised.

Zhou Buqi said, “They’re called seven projects, but essentially they’re quite similar. They’re just to provide more part-time job opportunities for university students and convenience for university life.”

Principal Hu didn’t respond, lowering his head to read the document. He didn’t know where he was reading, then looked up at Zhou Buqi, looking very surprised.

Then he looked down again.

After about ten minutes of reading, he closed his eyes, seemingly in thought, and after a long while, he sighed, “This is what university students should be doing, Zhou Buqi. You really haven’t disappointed me.”

Zhou Buqi sat upright on the sofa.

Principal Hu asked, “With so many projects, can you handle them all?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “I’m only responsible for strategy; specific people will execute. Moreover, student entrepreneurship is different from commercial enterprises; it doesn’t need to be overly refined. It’s okay if the details are a bit rough. University students are quite adaptable and reasonable, so even if omissions occur during operation, they can often understand.”

“What about the milk tea shop?”

“In the short term, the milk tea shop will remain central. That won’t change.”

“Mm, good that you understand.”

Principal Hu nodded in satisfaction, “Tell me about your university student platform. What’s your idea?”

Zhou Buqi said, “If these seven projects are all operated offline, the workload would be too great, especially for meal ordering and organizing group buying. If there could be a campus-oriented website to integrate them, combining online with offline, it could solve a lot of trouble.”

“How many part-time job positions can it provide?”

“For a university like Beike University, one hundred part-time job positions are very easy. At the same time, we can also build relationships with off-campus businesses to provide even more part-time job positions.”

Principal Hu’s tiger-like eyes widened, staring at him.

As the Vice Principal in charge of school affairs, he understood the significance of student part-time jobs too well.

Almost all university students who had long-term part-time job experience were the most outstanding students.

This was invaluable experience that couldn’t be gained from books.

“That’s a bit of a big claim, isn’t it?”

“I have that confidence.”

Principal Hu pondered for a moment, then slowly said, “The milk tea shop is a brand. No university in The Capital will set up barriers. Using its popularity, you can expand rapidly.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “I understand. Next semester, Yuanwei milk tea shops should be able to cover all universities in The Capital.”

“However, these seven projects can’t be rushed,” Principal Hu, being experienced and steady, offered his advice.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

“Mm, you’re the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, right? Then let’s do this: first, use these ten universities as a pilot, and set up the website.”

Zhou Buqi frowned, and tentatively said, “Principal Hu, operating a website costs a lot of money. Just these ten universities, daily active users of twenty to thirty thousand are easy. A website like that would cost at least one hundred thousand yuan a year to operate.”

Principal Hu waved his hand, and said calmly, “Just set it up first. If it truly succeeds, that will be a special case, and I will help you report it to the higher-ups. This is a good thing, with the exemplary effect of socialist university students, it has great symbolic meaning. At that time, official red-headed documents will come down. Even if the government ministry doesn’t issue them, the city certainly will. Funding and policies will not be lacking. By then, universities will be scrambling to have you move in.”

Zhou Buqi’s morale was greatly boosted!

Excellent!

This is The Capital!

Chapter 71: The Class Beauty’s Little Trouble

Leaving Principal Hu’s office, Zhou Buqi was in a good mood.

He had come to solicit support.

He had received quite a few benefits.

Besides the ‘dangling a carrot’ for the future, the tangible benefit was that the university would provide significant support for his entrepreneurial plan.

Inside the Student Activity Center, three rooms would be made available to him.

One would be Zhou Buqi’s exclusive office, one a computer studio, and one a temporary warehouse.

Especially the computer studio, which would serve as the technology research and development department. The university would provide ten high-performance computers and one server for his website development, along with a 5 Mbps dedicated broadband line free of charge.

As long as the website’s homepage wasn’t too flashy, it could easily handle twenty to thirty thousand daily active users.

Of course, this wasn’t free.

If the project failed, everything would be reclaimed.

If the project succeeded, the benefits would be far greater. The university would likely launch an unprecedented student entrepreneurship support program, at least on a million-yuan scale, and might even provide technical guidance from academicians.

After all, if such a project succeeded, it would not only be Zhou Buqi’s personal glory but also an achievement for the university.

Upon hearing this, Guo Pengfei enthusiastically moved his seven-person technical team into the R&D room that very day to set up servers and write source code.

The milk tea shop opened smoothly.

Business was booming.

For the first three days of operation, the first day featured “mango + strawberry” flavor, the second day was full-cup red grapefruit, and the third day was “orange + passion fruit” flavor.

The Beijing Foreign Studies University store sold three thousand six hundred and thirty-seven cups, the Beijing Institute of Technology store sold two thousand one hundred and eighty-four cups, and the Beike University store sold one thousand two hundred and twenty-five cups.

The cost per cup of milk tea was 1.1 yuan, and the retail price was 4 yuan. After three days… the gross profit exceeded twenty thousand yuan!

The total investment for the three milk tea shops was seventy thousand yuan, and they would definitely break even this month.

It was incredibly profitable.

Of course, this was also thanks to the excessively hot and humid weather in the Capital these past few days, meaning milk tea hadn’t yet entered its off-season. Additionally, the recent opening and the fierce criticism of Pearl Milk Tea by China Food magazine led to Yuanwei Fresh Fruit Milk Tea quickly becoming the beverage of choice for university students.

Liu Wenbo was in high spirits and had already begun planning new store locations. These past few days, he had personally made several trips to Tsinghua University, intending to be hands-on in creating a true flagship store in Tsinghua Garden.

As a vice president himself, he couldn’t let Xue Baoshan get ahead of him, could he?

The Beike University store, located in the academic building, sold over one thousand two hundred cups in three days, which was already a pleasant surprise.

Zhou Buqi bought a cup of milk tea and went to the lecture hall for class.

It was Wen Zhixia’s class.

On the desk, there were many flyers. He picked one up and couldn’t help but chuckle.

It was a recruitment flyer.

The general content informed everyone that the more customers there were, the stronger the bargaining power, and the lower the price. Now, ten universities including Peking University, Renmin University of China, Beike University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Minzu University of China, China Agricultural University, and Beihang University could unite. All students who wished to enroll in New Oriental to study for the TOEFL exam could register collectively and collectively negotiate prices.

“I didn’t expect Ji Zian’s efficiency to be so high. It’s only been a few days, and the flyers have already reached our classroom.”

Zhou Buqi looked at the flyer for a while, feeling very satisfied and admiring Ji Zian’s capabilities.

“Don’t believe this.”

Just then, the chubby Class Monitor, Tian Qiaoran, suddenly came over, snatched the flyer, crumpled it into a ball, and collected all the other flyers with a look of disdain.

Zhou Buqi was stunned. “What’s wrong?”

Tian Qiaoran said very seriously, “Yesterday, the Student Union notified us that a bunch of recruitment flyers from training institutions, brought in from outside the university, appeared on campus. They said they were all scams and that we, the Student Union members, should clear them immediately upon seeing them.”

Zhou Buqi was greatly surprised. “There’s something like this? Is it the Departmental Student Union?”

“It’s from the college, but…” Tian Qiaoran paused, pointing upwards. “I heard it was the Boss of the University Student Union who gave the order. Our University Student Union organizes registrations ourselves, so why would we use an outside one?”

Zhou Buqi was so angry he almost slammed the table.

The President of the University Student Union?

How dare he go against the trend!

Seeing his cold expression, Tian Qiaoran felt deeply puzzled and looked at him strangely. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you knew Xu Jianing, the Vice President of the University Student Union? You don’t know about this?”

“It’s nothing.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, not wanting to explain too much to her.

“Oh.” Tian Qiaoran nodded. “Right, there’s something I wanted to ask for your help with. Class is about to start, so let’s talk after.”

After class, Tian Qiaoran came over again, bringing a delicate-looking girl named Guan Ting.

She was very pretty, a natural beauty.

However, her dressing and styling were poor; she lacked external adornment. In a university where female students usually wore makeup, she looked quite unremarkable.

But she couldn’t escape the eyes of a discerning eye.

Tian Qiaoran pulled her to sit opposite Zhou Buqi and said, “Guan Ting’s family is quite poor, so she applied for a part-time job at the Administrative Building, organizing documents and sending/receiving files to earn some living expenses. However, her application materials haven’t been approved.”

“Hmm?” Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow. “Are the documents complete?”

Guan Ting said with red eyes, “Yes, they’re all complete. I submitted everything as required, including the poverty certificate issued by our village committee. The part-time positions in the Administrative Building are specifically for impoverished students, and hardly anyone applies for them.”

“No way? Even the biggest jerk of a teacher wouldn’t need to make things difficult for a student. Did you perhaps…”

Before he finished speaking, Tian Qiaoran interrupted him, shaking her head. “It didn’t even get past the University Student Union’s review, let alone the Academic Affairs Office.”

“Huh? Why?”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes widened.

“I don’t know.” Tian Qiaoran pursed her lips, then sighed. “I was just thinking you know Senior Sister Xu, so maybe you could help smooth things over. Guan Ting has it really tough; even her tuition fees are from a loan.”

“Alright, I’ll make a call.”

Immediately, Zhou Buqi dialed Xu Jianing’s number and asked her what was going on.

Xu Jianing said, “I don’t know either; this matter isn’t under my jurisdiction.”

“Aren’t you the Vice President?”

“Brother, I have a direct superior too, okay? Anything involving money is directly managed by Lü Hua; I can’t interfere.”

“Lü Hua? The Student Union President? Does he have the energy to manage such a small matter?”

“It’s his subordinate, um… Li Hongrui, you know him.”

“It’s him?”

Zhou Buqi felt confused. “Isn’t he an officer in the Academic Department? What’s he managing?”

Xu Jianing said bitterly, “He used to be an officer, but somehow he got connected with Lü Hua and was promoted to Vice Head of the Academic Department last month.”

Zhou Buqi gasped.

No wonder!

He had met Li Erdan at the entrance of the stadium during the National Day Gala. That kid had been very arrogant, looking smug and self-satisfied.

So he got a promotion!

He became the University Student Union President’s lackey.

Needless to say, he must have paved his way with money.

Hanging up the phone, Zhou Buqi asked Guan Ting, “Do you know Li Hongrui?”

Guan Ting’s face suddenly flushed red.

Zhou Buqi’s heart skipped a beat; he knew something was up.

Tian Qiaoran was also startled and quickly asked, “Guan Ting, what exactly is going on?”

Guan Ting was a bit self-conscious and lowered her head, remaining silent.

Tian Qiaoran stamped her foot in frustration, pulling her. “Just tell us! If you don’t speak, how can we help you figure something out?”

Guan Ting bit her lip, still not speaking.

Zhou Buqi seemed to understand, and tentatively asked, “Is it that jerk Li Hongrui, seeing you’re pretty, wants to date you?”

Guan Ting’s face turned even redder, like a large red cloth, and she nodded softly.

“And because you didn’t agree, he didn’t approve you?”

“Mhm.”

“Hiss!”

Tian Qiaoran gasped in shock, sparks of disgust flashing in her eyes. “This Li Hongrui is a scumbag!”

Zhou Buqi, however, was relatively calm, saying blandly, “University is half a society. This kind of phenomenon… isn’t an isolated case. Power and beauty often go hand in hand; it’s not surprising.”

“Zhou Buqi, what are you saying?” Tian Qiaoran blurted out.

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “I just want to tell you that getting angry is useless and unnecessary; this is a common phenomenon. If this path doesn’t work, you can try other ways.”

“But I don’t know any other way,” Guan Ting said, almost in tears. “The part-time job at the Administrative Building is really good; it wouldn’t interfere with classes, and I could even bring my books to study there, so it wouldn’t delay my studies.”

Zhou Buqi realized that this pretty girl was from a small place, hadn’t seen much of the world, and was very poor. Girls like her were the easiest to deceive.

“Alright, after class, go to Room 202 in the Student Activity Center and find Guo Pengfei. Tell him I sent you, and that you’ll be working part-time there. Normally, you’ll be responsible for cleaning, helping others buy water and meals – basically, whatever you can do. Oh, and you can bring your books there too.”

“Really?”

A glimmer of light flickered in Guan Ting’s beautiful large eyes.

Tian Qiaoran was also pleasantly surprised. “Is that true?”

Zhou Buqi rolled his eyes exasperatedly. “We’re classmates; why would I lie to you?”

“How much will it pay?”

Guan Ting was too embarrassed to ask, so Tian Qiaoran took the initiative.

She was quite a diligent Class Monitor, he had to admit.

Zhou Buqi stood up to leave, holding up one finger.

“One yuan?” Tian Qiaoran was greatly disappointed and couldn’t help but say angrily, “What kind of lousy part-time job is that? That’s too stingy! A part-time job at the Administrative Building pays two yuan an hour!”

Zhou Buqi stopped, turned back, and said with a chuckle, “I was talking about the monthly salary.”

“A monthly salary of one hundred yuan?”

“One thousand yuan, my dear Class Monitor! Alright, I’m cutting class now.”

He turned and left.

Guan Ting was utterly stunned.

A monthly salary of one thousand yuan?

Her family was in the countryside; their total annual income was only around one thousand yuan, right?

Walking out of the classroom, he ran straight into Wen Zhixia, who was preparing to teach the second class.

She was wearing women’s trousers and a black shirt, which accentuated her mature and composed demeanor, giving her the aura of an intellectual ‘big sister’ type.

“Cutting class again?”

“Yeah, I have something to take care of.”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes scanned her up and down: her chest was full, her waist slender, and her legs long. He complimented her, “Teacher Wen, you have a very good figure.”

Wen Zhixia’s expression stiffened. She took two steps back and warned him in a low voice, “Stop messing around; there are so many students here.”

“I know, others can’t hear us.”

“Then keep your eyes to yourself too. If someone sees us, what will they think of me?”

“Okay, I won’t look anymore. By the way, is the house comfortable?”

“It’s very good, thank you.”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Don’t be so polite; we’re friends, after all.”

Wen Zhixia pursed her lips, giving him a half-smile, half-reproachful look. “I’m not talking to you anymore; I’m going to class.”

“Okay, call me if anything comes up at home.”

Zhou Buqi turned around, made a phone gesture at her, and left whistling.

He was in a good mood.

One who accepts favors is beholden.

It seemed that Teacher Wen, living in his house, was gradually changing her attitude.

Chapter 72: The Parasites in the Student Union

Zhou Buqi called Xu Jianing out.

He had important matters to ask about.

It wasn’t about Guan Ting, but about the flyers.

Those flyers were distributed by Ji Zian, representing the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance, and representing Zhou Buqi himself!

But as it turned out, the University Student Union was hostile and wanted to ban them.

As if they were scammers.

“Don’t get involved in this matter.”

Xu Jianing understood his intention and stated firmly.

Zhou Buqi was puzzled, “Why? Why did the University Student Union say the content on the flyers was a scam?”

Xu Jianing looked at him intently, “Zhou Buqi, I know you’re very capable. I’ve been to your milk tea shop too, and the milk tea is delicious. But, the University Student Union is the only organization that can represent student interests. I think you should be clear about that.”

Zhou Buqi felt a headache coming on, somewhat bewildered, “Does this have anything to do with the flyers?”

“How is it not related? For bulk purchases, either the Academic Affairs Office is responsible, or the University Student Union is. How can outsiders interfere?” Xu Jianing said, as if it were obvious.

Zhou Buqi shook his head repeatedly, “No, that reason doesn’t hold up. For students, the lower the price, the better. It’s not like they’re forcing anyone to buy. I saw on the flyer that they’ll gather students from ten universities. Such a large volume of unified student purchases would definitely drive prices down even more.”

“Why don’t you understand!”

Xu Jianing looked at him with an expression of ‘disappointed that someone isn’t living up to their potential’.

Because it was during class hours, there were fewer people in the cafeteria.

Zhou Buqi’s gaze swept across the empty cafeteria, as if reflecting his current mood, “Senior Sister Xu, I really don’t understand. Please just tell me directly.”

Xu Jianing hesitated for a long time, looking as if she wanted to speak but held back.

She looked very troubled.

“Senior Sister Xu, are you not treating me as a friend?” Zhou Buqi used a provocative tactic.

Xu Jianing rolled her eyes, “You treat me to lunch, and I’ll tell you.”

“No problem!”

Zhou Buqi replied crisply.

Only then did Xu Jianing slowly begin to explain…

The University Student Union is a student organization led by the Youth League Committee. Each year, they can apply for a small amount of funding, which is pitifully little. They can also seek sponsorships from outside the university, which are also pitifully small.

More importantly, these are public funds, not easily distributed privately.

In such top-tier prestigious universities, there are huge profit distributions within the University Student Union. If the profits don’t come from funding or sponsorship fees, then where do they come from?

It can only be from the students.

The reason Lü Hua was able to become the President of the University Student Union, and gained immense authority immediately upon taking office, casually promoting an idiot like Li Hongrui to Vice Head of the Academic Department, was primarily because he was good at profiteering.

He was better at profiteering than the other Vice Presidents of the University Student Union. After making money, he distributed it to the high-ranking members of the Student Union, forming a stable interest group, which naturally increased his support rate.

Lü Hua had been doing part-time jobs outside school since high school. Over the years, he had built up his own network of connections.

For example, introducing female classmates to work as models or etiquette ladies at high-end venues.

The part-time pay the girls received was less than the commission he deducted, yet they had to be grateful to him.

For example, participating in some TV shows or art performances as audience members.

These shows paid, at least dozens of yuan per person. However, Lü Hua could always use the excuse of taking classmates out to broaden their horizons, making them attend as audience members for free. The money earned naturally went into his own pocket.

For example, introducing some classmates to work temporary jobs in factories, like altering product expiration dates, from which Lü Hua could also take a large cut.

It could be said that Lü Hua’s operations were exactly like the corporate intermediary business among the seven major side businesses Zhou Buqi had planned.

The difference was, his heart was even darker!

He was selling cheap university student labor.

Most black slave traders were black, and most pimps were once prostitutes themselves; they’re essentially all of the same ilk.

Of course, these were all his personal actions.

After he became President of the University Student Union, he gained greater power and a group of followers, allowing him to undertake bigger ventures and stop earning such hard-earned money.

During last month’s back-to-school season, he pulled off a major feat.

He led the University Student Union’s Technology Department and Academic Department to help university students assemble computers!

Even computer science students nowadays don’t know much about computer components. Lü Hua found connections and negotiated preferential prices with suppliers in Zhongguancun, allowing university students to own their own computers for the least amount of money. (Most were desktop PCs in those days.)

This was originally a good thing, but when encountering a black-hearted person, it became a crime too numerous to record.

There were too many shady dealings in computer assembly.

Two identical hard drives, with the same capacity, would look indistinguishable to a non-professional, but their prices could often differ by dozens of yuan.

Similarly, there was huge room for manipulation with RAM, graphics cards, monitors, processors, and so on.

Furthermore, what’s the difference between used and new components?

How would one discover if inferior goods were passed off as superior?

Even professionals would find it hard to tell.

They could even be modified!

A 128MB RAM stick could have its label scraped off with a knife and a 256MB label pasted on, leading to all sorts of scams.

Almost all electronics stores in Zhongguancun, except for JD.com, used this routine.

After a series of operations, earning a difference of one thousand yuan per computer was very easy.

Selling fake goods was much more profitable than being an intermediary.

Xu Jianing spoke slowly, but Zhou Buqi was so enraged his arms were trembling!

He’s truly a scumbag!

How could such a person become the President of the University Student Union?

He was practically a devil hanging over the heads of all students in the university!

Even more terrifying was that university students wouldn’t discover it; they would even think the Student Union had helped them, feel heartfelt gratitude, and fantasize about joining someday to help more university students.

What a huge irony.

Zhou Buqi suppressed his anger, his voice a little hoarse, “Senior Sister Xu, selling computers… you guys made a lot of money, right?”

Xu Jianing said, “Hmm, we sold over one hundred units and made about fifty thousand yuan? That’s what Lü Hua said, but it should be more. Only he knows exactly how much was made. But everyone involved got a share, they all received money.”

“You too?”

“Mm.”

“How much?”

“One thousand five hundred.”

“Heh heh, quite a bit.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, an unconcealed look of disdain and mockery on his lips.

Seeing his displeasure, Xu Jianing sighed softly, “I know you have a strong sense of justice, but isn’t that just how reality is? If your sense of justice is too strong, you’ll be the one to suffer when you enter society.”

“Heh heh, maybe.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was somewhat cold.

Xu Jianing sighed, “Alright, I’ve told you everything, you should understand now. Lü Hua is currently racking his brain to find ways to lead everyone in making money, and the content of that flyer just caught his eye; he thinks it’s feasible.”

“So he wants to do it himself? To earn the difference?”

“Something like that.”

“Right, with the name of the University Student Union, students will definitely trust you more.”

“Mm, Lü Hua is quite capable, and he has wide connections. Your milk tea shop is doing well. I heard he’s planning to partner up with Li Hongrui to open a shop too, right by the North Gate. They’re currently discussing the transfer of the commercial space.”

“Is that so?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits.

Chapter 73: Evil Cannot Suppress Righteousness

The milk tea shop’s business was booming.

Fresh fruit milk tea was indeed much better than Pearl Milk Tea, completely superior in taste, and deeply loved by the vast majority of students.

Liu Wenbo even released explosive news: the site for the Tsinghua University store had been secured, and it was a commercial storefront.

Renovations would begin this week, and the store could open by the end of this month or early next month.

However, other ventures were not so smooth.

Ji Zian reported that the collective enrollment project for training institutions faced strong obstruction from the University Student Unions of various major universities, with significant resistance.

Zhou Buqi met with him to exchange views.

Within the University Student Unions of top universities, immense interests were hidden. However, funding was limited. Unless it was Peking University or Tsinghua University, which had famous university-affiliated enterprises like Founder Group and Tsinghua Tongfang, the sponsorship fees they could secure were very small.

This led to the University Student Unions having to rely on school resources and official names to be self-sufficient.

Opening a milk tea shop or a restaurant?

This was definitely not feasible; the initial investment was too large, and once losses occurred, no one could bear them.

The University Student Unions did not get involved in such industries.

Fast food delivery?

This seemed like a no-capital business, but it provided part-time jobs and required paying delivery personnel. Especially now, it wasn’t the mobile era, so orders couldn’t be placed via mobile phones; only phone orders were possible, making operations extremely complex.

The University Student Union members were unwilling to do such time-consuming and laborious work.

What they were most enthusiastic about was gaining something for nothing, profiting from reselling by transferring from one hand to another.

In short, it was collective procurement.

Not just Beike University, but the Student Unions of other universities also used this method to earn money and profit from students.

Ji Zian wanted to collectively procure enrollment quotas for training institutions. A few scattered individuals doing small-scale operations were fine, but once it was large-scale, targeting all students in the school, it naturally met with resistance.

“All ten schools have encountered resistance?” Zhou Buqi pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

Ji Zian also looked anxious, with bloodshot eyes. He too pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took two deep drags, and said, “Renmin University of China certainly won’t resist, after all, I stepped down as Vice President of the Student Union there. Peking University didn’t set up any obstacles either. The other eight schools, however, are resisting quite strongly.”

“Peking University didn’t resist?”

“No.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t have a smoking habit; he took two puffs and then put it out, chuckling, “As expected of the premier institution, it’s broad-minded!”

Ji Zian said, “Peking University is rich! Their University Student Union must have other avenues and doesn’t care for this kind of thing.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, “Hmm, if Peking University is like this, Tsinghua University should be similar. Go contact them. If other schools resist, then let them be for now. Let’s set up in Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Renmin University of China first, gain experience, and thoroughly understand the business model and channel resources.”

Ji Zian looked at him in surprise, “Are we giving up the market in other schools? We’re the ten-university alliance!”

“Give up?”

Zhou Buqi’s lips curved into a cold smile, “Of course not. What we’re doing is a good deed that benefits all university students, full of righteousness. If we can’t change the atmosphere in universities, how can we stand tall after entering society? Hmph, evil cannot suppress righteousness!”

Ji Zian felt his words were full of power, stirring a surge of emotion as if a true man dies for his bosom friend.

“A righteous person fears no slander. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to deal with them.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was firm.

…

Meng Houkun was a local.

Today, he didn’t stay at school; he went home.

In the evening, past eight o’clock.

Father Meng returned, clutching his briefcase. As soon as he entered the door, he frowned with a stern face and asked, “Why did you come back?”

Meng Houkun quickly stepped forward to help his dad with his bag, “There’s something I can’t figure out, so I came back to ask you.”

Father Meng glanced at him, “What is it?”

Meng Houkun smiled, “Let’s talk in the study.”

Father Meng was quite strict. He gave a faint “Hmm,” changed into his slippers, and went to the study first.

Meng Houkun trotted behind him, diligently making tea for his dad.

“Alright, put it there.” Father Meng took out several documents from his briefcase, placed them on the table, and while flipping through them, casually asked, “What’s the matter?”

Meng Houkun said, “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you slowly, just listen. Last month, I joined a university student entrepreneurial alliance called the Ten-University Entrepreneurial Alliance. The Alliance Leader is Zhou Buqi, from Beike University. You won’t believe it, he’s only eighteen years old, a freshman…”

He babbled on for over ten minutes.

He recounted the founding process of the Yuanwei milk tea shop, emphasizing the conflict between Zhou Buqi and Liu Wenbo, and the struggle over equity.

Father Meng was a leader in a government ministry and usually very busy, so he hadn’t paid much attention. It wasn’t until he heard that Zhou Buqi had used the Beijing Foreign Studies University incident, subtly praising and criticizing while seizing the opportunity to take down Liu Wenbo, that he slightly raised his head.

“How old is that kid?”

“Eighteen!”

Meng Houkun looked amazed, “It’s a big world, full of wonders. I’ve never met anyone as smart as him, especially his business acumen, it’s incredibly sharp.”

“Hmm.” Father Meng remained calm and nodded, “Continue.”

Meng Houkun said, “Privately, I communicated with Ma Pingshan, and he also thought we should directly remove Liu Wenbo. Such a person buried in an entrepreneurial team is a ticking time bomb. But Zhou Buqi was just the opposite; not only did he not fire him, he entrusted him with important responsibilities! Dad, you won’t believe it. Of the milk tea shop’s six departments, Liu Wenbo, as the Executive Vice President, oversees the four core departments: finance, marketing, security, and new store openings. Xue Baoshan only manages human resources and logistics, uh… logistics is what I’m in charge of.”

“Hmph!”

Father Meng snorted heavily, looking at his son with displeasure, “You didn’t even become a vice president?”

Meng Houkun said with a bitter face, “Dad, you don’t know how capable those university students are; I can’t compare to them at all, okay? Xue Baoshan, even though she’s a girl, her series of actions… she opened a flagship store at Beijing Foreign Studies University! Anyway, let’s not talk about that. You analyze this for me, what exactly is going on?”

“Who?”

“Liu Wenbo! What exactly is Zhou Buqi thinking? Handing over so much power of the milk tea shop to Liu Wenbo, isn’t he afraid of something going wrong?”

Meng Houkun looked worried and added, “At first, I thought he wanted to hang Liu Wenbo high, letting the four departments below him strip him of power, giving him no real authority. But this period has been truly eye-opening; Zhou Buqi has completely let go, and Liu Wenbo has monopolized power and is complacent. Yesterday, he even announced to us that he had already selected a commercial storefront at Tsinghua University and was preparing to open another flagship store.”

“Heh heh.” Father Meng shook his head, smiled, and sighed with some emotion, “University students, indeed!”

Meng Houkun looked puzzled, “Dad, what do you mean?”

“Hmph!”

Father Meng glared at him sternly, “They’re both university students, look at his methods? And then look at you?!”

Meng Houkun said with a bitter face, “I’m learning from them too, okay?”

“And this is what you learned?”

“Dad, why do you keep scolding me? Anyway, I’m not going into politics. I think doing business is quite interesting. I’m currently the general manager of the team’s chain retail convenience store, and the initial progress has been very good!”

Meng Houkun said this without blushing or his heart pounding, insisting on giving the dormitory building’s convenience store a sophisticated name.

Chapter 74: Imperial Statecraft

Meng Houkun’s father frowned, utterly perplexed, and questioned, “You’re still students, running a milk tea shop and a convenience store? Why aren’t you focusing on your studies and messing around like this?”

Meng Houkun retorted, unconvinced, “Our core team has ten people, and each of us leads a group of others. We’re developing both at the same time… Forget it, it’s useless to say so much. Just analyze the milk tea shop for me. Don’t tell me you don’t understand it either.”

“What did you say?”

“If you don’t understand it either, you’ve wasted all these years in officialdom… Ow! Dad, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, stop kicking…”

In the study, Meng Houkun was kicked several times in a row.

After lecturing his son, Meng Houkun’s father’s expression finally softened. He snorted, “Have you read history?”

“Of course.”

“Ancient emperors liked to use corrupt officials. Why?”

“Huh?”

Meng Houkun stretched his neck, looking puzzled. “Dad, what are you trying to say? Just say it directly, don’t lecture me.”

His father choked with anger, glared at him fiercely, and said in a deep voice, “There are many benefits to using corrupt officials. Among them, the most important one is consolidating power.”

“What?”

Meng Houkun found it a bit hard to understand and said impatiently, “Dad, stop being so mysterious. I told you, I’m not going into politics. Teaching me this is useless.”

Meng Houkun’s father truly felt disappointed that his son wasn’t living up to his potential. He had no choice but to be brief: “Ancient emperors, as long as they weren’t too incompetent, knew very well who was corrupt and who was honest. However, those in important positions were often corrupt officials. Honest officials, at most, served as literary figures and pure scholars in the Hanlin Academy.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the emperor held many handles over corrupt officials. This often made corrupt officials more diligent and responsible when carrying out their duties. In fact, it was true; corrupt officials were indeed corrupt, but their work ability was far superior to those Confucian scholars.”

“Oh.”

Meng Houkun blinked, deep in thought.

His father continued, “In ancient times, the power of the prime minister could check the power of the emperor. This was common in the Sui and Tang dynasties and often occurred in the Song and Ming dynasties. If the prime minister was an honest official with no weaknesses, praised by all officials and highly renowned, his ability to constrain the emperor would be even greater, potentially even shaking imperial power.”

Meng Houkun quickly said, “Right, like Wang Mang.”

“Many famous prime ministers in history suppressed imperial power. Therefore, to consolidate their throne, emperors were often very cautious in choosing their chief ministers. Corrupt officials were often the best choice. Besides their generally stronger abilities, more importantly, they posed no threat to the emperor. Once they threatened imperial power, they could be executed, and not only would officials not object, but they would also cheer, ‘Long live our sagacious emperor!’ and be praised by the common people.”

“Hmm, like Emperor Jiajing and Yan Song, Emperor Qianlong and Heshen. If things went well, the emperor took the credit. If they failed, the treacherous minister took the blame.”

“Exactly.”

Meng Houkun’s father nodded, then looked at his son. “Do you understand now? What kind of strategy is Zhou Buqi using?”

Meng Houkun was stunned, almost sliding off the sofa onto the floor. “Dad? What are you saying? Zhou Buqi is playing Imperial statecraft? You’re giving him too much credit, aren’t you? Is it really that exaggerated?”

His father shook his head and said, “It’s not Imperial statecraft; this is a very normal… way of handling interpersonal relationships.”

“This…”

Meng Houkun found it a bit hard to believe. “But Zhou Buqi has almost completely delegated authority, hasn’t he? Liu Wenbo is managing the milk tea shop.”

His father said, “Didn’t you just say it? Jiajing and Yan Song, remember? Not showing up doesn’t mean not holding power. Let me put it this way: what do you think is the most core aspect of your milk tea shop?”

Meng Houkun proudly said, “Of course, it’s the supply chain, which I’m responsible for.”

His father pointed out, “You’re half right. The core businesses of your milk tea shop are personnel and logistics. With personnel authority, you can appoint store managers for each branch and create salary budgets. With the logistics department, you have the supply chain; equipment, recipes, and raw materials are all in your hands.”

Meng Houkun’s eyes widened, and he took a deep breath. “Both of these departments are managed by Xue Baoshan!”

“Do you understand now?” His father looked at him with a half-smile.

Meng Houkun hesitated, “That’s not right. But the four areas Liu Wenbo manages are also very important: finance, marketing, security, and new store expansion.”

“Alright, I’ll explain it to you one by one.”

“Finance, that’s a sensitive topic. Taxes are very heavy now, and tax reform proposals are brought up every year. In China’s catering industry, not a single business has clean books. For example, your milk tea shop, whether it sells one thousand cups or one hundred cups a day, how does the tax authority check? Isn’t it just whatever you say you sold?”

“Marketing, that’s the biggest challenge in operating a milk tea shop. Can Liu Wenbo do it well? Among you college students, I estimate only that kid Zhou Buqi has some strategic thinking. Liu Wenbo managing this area will only make him look bad. When he can’t handle it, Zhou Buqi will step in to solve it.”

“Security, that’s something that offends people. Once something happens, you’ll inevitably have to deal with the school, which is a thankless task. Do you think this is a core business?”

“New store expansion, that’s even more ridiculous. Don’t forget, personnel authority is in someone else’s hands. What can Liu Wenbo do even if he works hard to open a new store? He opens the store, and then someone else is sent to take over…”

Meng Houkun was utterly shocked!

Holy crap!

This works too?

That’s too sinister, isn’t it?

Especially the last point, it sent chills down his spine. Yes, Liu Wenbo was working hard to plan the Tsinghua store, full of ambition and high spirits.

But what good would that do?

Personnel authority was managed by Xue Baoshan.

When the Tsinghua store opened, Xue Baoshan could directly assign her own people to take over and seize the fruits of victory.

Holy crap!

Too ruthless! Too insidious!

How could ordinary college students react to such a routine? Even Liu Wenbo was blissfully unaware, still thinking he was being heavily relied upon.

In fact, without anyone knowing, Zhou Buqi had set a trap for him.

Meng Houkun shivered, finding it hard to believe. He widened his eyes and said, “Dad, all this you’re saying… could it be a coincidence? Zhou Buqi is only eighteen, can he think that deeply?”

His father snorted coldly, “If he were as naive as you, more than half of the milk tea shop would have been carved up by now. Coincidence? Do you think it’s a coincidence? Why do you think he deliberately kept Liu Wenbo?”

Meng Houkun’s throat felt dry, and he swallowed hard. “Dad, why does this feel so terrifying?”

“Do you think doing business is cleaner than being in politics?” Meng Houkun’s father looked deeply at his son, again with the intention of persuading him.

Meng Houkun immediately shook his head. “No, I’m not going into politics!” He paused, then asked, “Dad, you said emperors like to use corrupt officials to consolidate power, and I think it makes a lot of sense. Dad, let me ask you, when you promote subordinates, do you promote honest officials or corrupt officials?”

“Hmm?”

His father’s eyes suddenly widened, his face turned ashen, and he roared a single word from his throat, furious beyond measure: “Get lost!”

Meng Houkun scurried away, feeling he had won a round, secretly pleased with himself.

But then he thought of Zhou Buqi and felt disheartened again.

They were both college students, so why was the gap between them so huge?

…

Currently, three rooms in the Student Activity Center belonged to Zhou Buqi.

Room 201 was his office and the meeting room for the Entrepreneurship Alliance.

Room 202 was the Technology Research and Development Department, and there was also a temporary warehouse downstairs.

All the desks, chairs, sofas, computers, switches, servers, and other equipment were provided by the school and moved in by personnel organized by the university’s student union.

This matter naturally attracted the attention of the university’s student union.

It was known that Beike’s BBS forum was managed by the Academic Department of the university’s student union.

Li Hongrui personally led the team.

The meaning was clear: he hoped to set up the technical center for the BBS forum here as well.

Why?

Because there was a free 5M dedicated broadband line here. Not only that, but electricity and water bills were completely waived, and the school provided high-performance computers.

This would save the Academic Department a lot of operating expenses for the forum.

The university’s student union came aggressively.

Fortunately, Guo Pengfei was no pushover. As an influential figure at Beike, his influence was much greater than that of a mere Vice Head of the Academic Department.

He immediately gave Li Hongrui a cold shoulder and flatly refused.

Li Hongrui said with a cold face, “Guo Pengfei, I’m telling you, I represent the university’s student union, representing all the students in the school. You’d better think this through!”

“Representing all the students? Who do you think you are?” Guo Pengfei’s face showed contempt, and he sneered, “Don’t interfere with our work, now get lost!”

Chapter 75: Threat

In the hotel room, on the round bed.

Zhou Buqi was smoking.

“Husband, smoking is bad for your health.” Wu Yu, like a kitten, lay in his arms, covering her nose as she spoke.

Zhou Buqi shook his head, saying, “A cigarette after, happy as a god. You wouldn’t understand.”

Wu Yu playfully chided, “Where do you get all these strange ideas?”

Zhou Buqi smiled without a word, leisurely smoking.

Wu Yu snuggled into his embrace, half-closing her eyes for a moment, then softly said, “Husband, let’s not come out tomorrow.”

“Why? Tired of it?”

“No, it’s just… coming out every night, my roommates tease me. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

“They’re just jealous!”

“Anyway, I’m not coming tomorrow night. I’ve been so exhausted these past few days, I keep falling asleep in class.”

“Suit yourself.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t insist. He took a few more puffs, tossed the cigarette butt, then picked her up to shower.

After showering, Wu Yu sat on the edge of the bed wrapped in a bath towel, drying her hair with a white towel. She looked at Zhou Buqi, who had his back to her as he checked his emails, and said, “Husband, I want to tell you something.”

“Go on.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t turn his head, secretly delighted by the email.

Someone else was here to buy a domain name!

This time, it was Douban!

Over the past month, Zhou Buqi had successively sold three domain names: Reddit, Qunar.com, and Ganjij.com. Unfortunately, these three websites were all created by mature, ambitious entrepreneurial teams.

Zhou Buqi wasn’t qualified to get involved, so he could only sell domain names.

Douban, however, was different. Douban.com was created by its founder, Yang Bo, by himself in a coffee shop in Douban Hutong. He had no funding, no team, and was weak in strength.

In contrast, Zhou Buqi had money, people, and domain names in hand – he had all the capital for a partnership!

Wu Yu sat on the edge of the bed, speaking to herself, “It’s quite scary, speaking of which. A girl jumped from a building at our university.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was startled and turned around abruptly. “Really? Is that true?”

Wu Yu said very seriously, “Of course it’s true. I even saw it. The scene… I couldn’t sleep well for over two months, and I still get scared thinking about it now.”

“When did this happen?”

“My freshman year, last year… no, it should have been early this year, before you came to the university.”

“Tell me the details.”

“That morning, we got up for our morning run, and then we saw a body lying beneath the Public Teaching Building, with blood everywhere. It was only a little past 6 AM, and there were already many police officers and university leaders investigating.”

Seeing her face turn pale, Zhou Buqi patted his thigh. “Come here.”

Wu Yu walked over and sat in his arms, still looking shaken. She pouted and said, “That day, all our classes were canceled. The Counselor came to the dorms and told us to call back all the students who weren’t on campus, saying they needed to count everyone.”

Zhou Buqi frowned. “Count everyone?”

“Yes, it was to see who was still alive. The one who wasn’t accounted for was the girl who jumped. They said her face was unrecognizable, no one could identify her.” Wu Yu said, biting her lip.

Zhou Buqi shivered, blurting out, “Holy crap! What kind of idiotic method is that?”

Wu Yu hummed in agreement. “That’s how it was. They searched the entire university to confirm who was alive, and the one left over was the dead girl.”

Zhou Buqi was utterly shocked by this method.

Even if others didn’t know, wouldn’t her roommates know? Didn’t the police have a more efficient method?

Wu Yu continued, “Later, the girl was identified. They said she was supposed to get a scholarship, but due to some internal dealings, it was given to someone else. Her family wasn’t well-off, and she relied on that scholarship to attend university. She couldn’t accept it, so she jumped.”

Zhou Buqi felt a chill spread from his spine throughout his body. He reached out and tightly pulled Wu Yu’s slender body into his embrace, his voice gentle but sternly warning, “No matter what happens, you must never jump from a building! Do you understand?”

“Mm, I remember.”

Wu Yu pressed her cheek against his neck, feeling a strong sense of security envelop her. She sighed softly, “Last time you told me you wanted to build a platform to help university students with work-study programs, I kept thinking about this incident. If that girl had just shown a little more persistence, maybe her financial difficulties could have been resolved.”

Zhou Buqi was slightly lost in thought, muttering to himself, “Yes, we can’t break the systemic flaws, but we must do something to compensate. This is the responsibility of our generation.”

Wu Yu hooked her arms around his neck, a little distressed, and looked up at him. “Husband, don’t put so much pressure on yourself.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, kissing her red lips. “Alright, aren’t you tired? Go to sleep now.”

Wu Yu pouted playfully, “Sleep while holding me.”

“I still have things to do here.”

“Nooo…”

Zhou Buqi glared, raising his palm. “If you keep clinging, I’ll spank you, alright?”

“Ah!”

Wu Yu shrieked, quickly scurried away, and burrowed into the covers, shaking her fist at Zhou Buqi’s back.

Meanwhile, Zhou Buqi had already added Yang Bo on MSN Messenger and initiated some discussions about Web 2.0 websites. Unfortunately, Zhou Buqi’s knowledge in this area was limited, and Yang Bo was busy with website development, not eager for business negotiations.

It seemed that their cooperation would require some more time.

A short while later, Guo Pengfei called. “Aren’t you at the university?”

“At the hotel. Something up?”

“Yeah, people from the university’s student union came today. They want to borrow our R&D department.”

“What?”

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow, finding it inexplicable.

Guo Pengfei said, “A Vice Head from the Academic Department led the group. They said we have two computers free, and since they’re just sitting idle, we might as well lend them. They could operate a BBS forum there.”

“Trying to extort us?” Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but sneer. “Is his name Li Hongrui?”

“Yes, you know him?”

“Tell him to get lost! Always trying to take advantage. How can he be so shameless?”

“Mm, I didn’t let them in. But I just received a call.”

“Who?”

“Lü Hua, the Chairman of the university’s student union.”

“What does that mean? Are they trying to seize it by trickery and force?” Zhou Buqi said with cold sarcasm.

“Pretty much. He lectured me with a bunch of grand principles, saying we need to obey organizational arrangements and have organizational discipline.” Guo Pengfei said calmly.

Zhou Buqi immediately laughed in anger. “Tell him to get lost! What kind of rubbish student union Chairman is he? I haven’t even gone looking for trouble with him, and he dares to come knocking on my door? He doesn’t know his place.”

Guo Pengfei hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, “Lü Hua said he’ll personally come over tomorrow, representing the university’s student union, and wants us to think carefully. He also said, he also said he’s already investigated and found out that those flyers for collective enrollment in training organizations were distributed by our entrepreneurial club.”

“So this is a threat, then?”

“Pretty much. We’re a student club, and we need to operate under the leadership of the Youth League Committee. We’re not allowed to interfere with the university’s normal operations, teaching, or daily life order. Plus, we have a two-year review period. That means our entrepreneurial club is currently in a trial operation phase, and if we don’t comply with regulations, we’ll be forced to disband.”

Guo Pengfei sighed.

At the university, the university’s student union was an unavoidable hurdle for student organizations. Many members of the university’s student union also served as student cadres within the Youth League Committee, responsible for certain tasks and influencing Teacher’s decisions.

Zhou Buqi’s lips curved into a contemptuous smile. “University students’ power tactics, huh? Heh, interesting!”

Chapter 76: Incapable of Success, Yet Prone to Failure

The next morning, Zhou Buqi went to the technical research and development lab and personally oversaw the operations.

Guo Pengfei and his programming team had already arrived, each of them focused intently in front of their computers, typing away at their code.

According to Guo Pengfei, they would definitely be able to replicate the prototype of Facebook’s website in another week.

Front-end web development wasn’t particularly high-tech to begin with.

Guan Ting had also arrived and was currently holding a mop, bending over to clean the floor, a layer of sweat on her cheeks.

Zhou Buqi walked behind her and gently patted her shoulder. She turned around blankly, then broke into a bright smile, “Zhou Buqi? You’re here?”

“No classes today?”

“My classes are in the afternoon.”

“Is working here as a part-timer hard?”

“No, it’s not hard.”

Guan Ting looked a little guilty, her face flushed, appearing somewhat embarrassed. “I don’t understand computers very well, so I can’t help much. I can only do these odd jobs, but I’m getting paid the same as everyone else.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “We’re all classmates; there’s no need for such class distinctions.”

“Mm, thank you.”

Guan Ting’s expression was grateful, her eyes brimming with joyful light.

Zhou Buqi’s heart skipped a beat. This girl had a slightly round face and a very sweet appearance. Her large eyes were dark and bright. Even with her bare face, her natural beauty was undeniable.

Her figure… hmm, her figure was quite good too.

Guan Ting saw his gaze drift towards her chest, and her face instantly flushed crimson like the sunset. She retreated two steps in embarrassment.

“Zhou Buqi!”

Just then, Guo Pengfei appeared like a white knight saving a damsel in distress. He stood directly in front of Guan Ting, separating the two of them, his eyes fixed on Zhou Buqi with disdain and vigilance. “What are you doing?”

Zhou Buqi retorted angrily, “Are you sick?”

Guo Pengfei gritted his teeth, then turned to Guan Ting and said with extreme gentleness, “Guan Ting, you go ahead and get busy. You don’t need to change the dirty water; I’ll pour it out later.”

“Oh, oh, okay.”

Guan Ting quickly glanced at Zhou Buqi and fled in a hurry.

Guo Pengfei then lowered his voice and said fiercely, “Can you not be such a scumbag?”

Zhou Buqi looked wronged. “What did I do?”

“You know what you’re thinking!” Guo Pengfei snorted heavily.

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “What am I thinking?”

Guo Pengfei didn’t believe him at all, already convinced that this guy was a top-tier scumbag who fell for every girl he saw. He warned him deeply, “Others are one thing, but I’m telling you, Guan Ting is off-limits. You’re not allowed to bully her!”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi looked at him in surprise. “Why are you so nervous? Do you like her?”

Guo Pengfei’s face instantly turned red as if a huge secret had been exposed. He stammered, “I… I…”

Zhou Buqi exclaimed in surprise, “I didn’t realize! You have good taste, don’t you? With Guan Ting’s looks, if she dressed up, she’d probably be campus belle material. You actually discovered her.”

“You… don’t talk nonsense…” Guo Pengfei said, blushing and stuttering.

Zhou Buqi covered his eyes, feeling that he was hopelessly pure. “It’s just a girl, can’t you show some manly courage?”

“That’s not… the same.” Guo Pengfei’s momentum weakened, but he stubbornly argued, “This is the excitement of ‘love at first sight around the corner,’ something a scumbag like you wouldn’t understand.”

Zhou Buqi was speechless and said angrily, “Get lost!”

Guo Pengfei looked at him warily and warned in a low voice, “Don’t mess things up. Don’t tell Guan Ting.”

“Mm, I know.”

Turning back, Zhou Buqi moved closer to Guan Ting. She was sitting in front of a computer, clumsily typing and learning how to use office software.

“I need to tell you something.”

“Oh.” Guan Ting blushed, her head lowered.

Zhou Buqi whispered conspiratorially, “Guo Pengfei has taken a liking to you. He’ll probably start making a move soon, so you should be mentally prepared.”

“Ah?”

A blush spread over Guan Ting’s fair neck. She pouted, “Zhou Buqi, what nonsense are you talking about?”

Zhou Buqi said, “It’s true. Anyway, just be aware. If you want to be with him, go for it. If not, that’s fine too. He wouldn’t dare use his authority to pressure you, or I won’t let him off the hook.”

Guan Ting felt shy and nervous, but also very curious. “You won’t let him off the hook? Isn’t Senior Guo the person in charge here?”

Zhou Buqi snorted, “He’s my subordinate.”

“Oh.”

Guan Ting was half-convinced.

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. Then, the door to the research and development lab was pushed open.

Zhou Buqi looked up. He didn’t recognize the person leading them, but behind him was an old acquaintance—Li Hongrui.

Ha!

The university’s student union.

They really dared to show up!

Zhou Buqi’s face turned cold. He walked directly over and shouted, “Who are you? Who let you in?”

“Second Brother Zhou, stop pretending! We’re from the university’s student union!”

Li Hongrui said with a sneer, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.

Zhou Buqi pointed to a notice freshly posted on the door and said in a deep voice, “Outsiders and dogs are not allowed. Can’t you read?”

“Second Brother Zhou, you…”

Li Hongrui was still arrogant, his temper flaring, but the person leading them waved his hand, interrupting him. He smiled and said, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Lü Hua, the Chairman of the university’s student union. I’m not an outsider, am I?”

Lü Hua?

Zhou Buqi was even more annoyed. He said coldly, “Not an outsider? Then you’re a dog? Dogs aren’t allowed either!”

Lü Hua’s face suddenly changed, as if he had been greatly humiliated.

Li Hongrui was furious and roared, “Zhou Buqi, are you a damn dog? Do you bite everyone you see?”

At this moment, Guo Pengfei also organized people to surround them. He was a fearless character and wasn’t afraid of the student union at all. He shouted loudly, “Damn it, do you want to fight?”

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly, “I’ll count to three. If outsiders and dogs don’t get out, then hit them! If you break the computer desks and chairs here, we’ll explain the situation to the school and then apply for new ones.”

He clearly showed that he wasn’t afraid of making a big scene.

Guan Ting also picked up a chair and stood behind him, looking aggressive.

However, she was very nervous inside, and also a little excited.

A fight?

Really?

Isn’t Lü Hua the Chairman of the student union?

Is this okay?

On the other side, Zhou Buqi didn’t care so much. His voice was like a sword’s clang, sharp and chilling.

“Three!”

“Two!”

The momentum of the university’s student union was suppressed by Zhou Buqi alone. They were all students, all top students from various departments. Who among them knew how to fight?

If they fought, wouldn’t they be disciplined by the school?

Others might not know, but those in the student union knew very well that this technical research and development lab was highly valued by the school and received great support. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been targeted by the Academic Department.

Gradually, some people began to slowly retreat, withdrawing from the lab, clearly trying to avoid suspicion.

“Second Brother Zhou, stop acting tough with me! We’re the student union, how dare you lay a hand on us?!” Li Hongrui yelled, tearing at his throat.

Zhou Buqi said nothing, kicking out a leg.

The two had fought a lot when they were kids, and Li Hongrui was prepared. He quickly retreated and dodged, cursing, “Holy crap! You really dare to fight?”

Zhou Buqi stared coldly at Lü Hua, enunciating the last number heavily: “One!”

As soon as his voice fell, Guo Pengfei swung a chair, ready to lead his people into a fight.

Lü Hua’s face changed drastically. He quickly said, “Stop! Let’s talk this out! Student union members, retreat with me!”

“Only you are left.” Zhou Buqi looked at him with a half-smile, his eyes contemptuous and playful.

“Ah?”

Lü Hua was slightly stunned. He looked back, and his heart sank halfway.

All the members of the Academic Department, including Li Hongrui, had already retreated.

Inside the research and development lab, he was truly the only outsider left.

Lü Hua’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He gritted his teeth and took two big steps back, still trying to maintain his composure and dignity as the Chairman of the student union. He took a deep breath and said, feigning calmness, “Zhou Buqi, I know you’re in charge here. I want to talk to you on behalf of all the university students.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was cold, giving him no face at all.

Represent all university students?

You can’t represent a damn thing!

Do you really think you’re hot stuff?

After speaking, he sneered inwardly and slammed the door shut with a “bang,” locking all the university’s student union members outside.

“Zhou Buqi! Zhou Buqi!”

Outside the door, Lü Hua’s voice continued for a while.

…

All the members of the university’s student union were dumbfounded.

Since they joined the student union, when had they ever been treated with such disrespect?

Not to mention among students, even when dealing with teachers, having the title of the university’s student union allowed them to succeed in everything.

Unexpectedly, this time they were given the cold shoulder!

Even more serious was that this time, Chairman Lü Hua himself led the team, and he was thoroughly humiliated, his reputation utterly shattered.

Everyone looked strange, their expressions unreadable.

Li Hongrui was furious, his lungs about to burst. He roared, “This bastard doesn’t know his place! Damn it, follow me, let’s smash the door!”

“Shut up!”

Lü Hua wasn’t so impulsive. He sternly rebuked him.

“Damn it…”

Li Hongrui, already enraged, almost went berserk.

Fortunately, he managed to restrain himself in time.

This was Yanjing, not his hometown.

Moreover, as the football team was relegated from Jia-A and sold to Greentown, his family’s pharmaceutical company plummeted. Not only did their income drop significantly, but their status in the province also declined considerably. There was even a fake medicine scandal that became known nationwide, with very negative consequences.

Now, the top pharmaceutical company in the province was Xiuzheng Pharmaceutical, a complete change of power.

The Li family was called the richest, but that was all based on the influence built on the old foundation of running the football team for the past decade.

In reality, they probably weren’t anymore.

Gilded on the outside, rotten on the inside.

Before coming to study in the capital, his family had repeatedly warned Li Hongrui to be low-key, to unite with classmates, and to build connections, especially to make achievements in the student union.

In the future, these people would be his connections, and the pharmaceutical industry relied most on connections.

Lü Hua, unaware of the inside story, redirected his anger and demanded, “Do you know Zhou Buqi?”

“Mm, from the same place.” Li Hongrui forcibly suppressed his anger.

Lü Hua’s face was ashen. He cursed, “Incapable of success, yet prone to failure!”

Chapter 77: Reconciliation?

Zhou Buqi’s tough stance certainly boosted everyone’s morale.

At the same time, it was inevitable that people would worry.

Their opponents were from the university’s student union, and Chairman Lü Hua himself was leading the team.

Giving them no face at all, was that really okay?

Wouldn’t they face retaliation from the university’s student union?

Sure enough, the matter wasn’t over.

Zhou Buqi received a call from Xu Jianing, her voice filled with urgency: “Zhou Buqi, what’s wrong with you?”

“Senior Sister Xu, I don’t understand what you mean,” Zhou Buqi said calmly.

Xu Jianing snapped, “Are you playing dumb with me, knowing full well what’s going on? Lü Hua even slammed his hand on the table!”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “What does his table-banging have to do with me? To be honest, the so-called Chairman of the university’s student union is nothing special; he has no leadership whatsoever.”

Xu Jianing was speechless. “Zhou Buqi, you’re in trouble, don’t you understand?”

“Oh, really?”

Zhou Buqi was very calm, very relaxed.

Xu Jianing said earnestly, “The BBS forum is where all University of Science and Technology students gather. How important is that? The site administrator and all section editors are from the student union. Do you know what that means?”

“Public opinion?”

“You know it!”

“So what?” Zhou Buqi didn’t care.

Xu Jianing said exasperatedly, “I really can’t believe you. Let me tell you, Lü Hua just gave the order to organize people to post on the campus forum to drag your name through the mud.”

“Is that so?” Zhou Buqi smiled faintly.

Xu Jianing sighed, saying, “Don’t you have spare computers in your research lab? What’s the harm in letting the student union use them? Leaving them idle is a waste; it’s better to utilize resources properly.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Senior Sister Xu, I’m starting a business here. There are commercial secrets.”

“What commercial secrets?” Xu Jianing couldn’t help but rolled her eyes. A university student project, and you’re talking about confidentiality?

She lowered her voice, whispering, “I know you’re starting a business, and this is your opportunity. Think about it, if the maintenance team for the campus forum moves into your research lab, wouldn’t that establish a connection? Then, when you want to advertise on the campus forum, wouldn’t you be able to do whatever you want?”

“Hmm, that makes some sense.”

“You agreed?”

“No!”

Xu Jianing gritted her teeth in anger. “Zhou Buqi, why are you so stubborn? Even more stubborn than Guo Pengfei! Lü Hua is the Chairman of the student union; the school resources he controls are beyond what you can match. How can you fight him?”

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “Just by the fact that I can freely enter and exit Principal Hu’s office, is that enough?”

“Uh…”

Xu Jianing was momentarily speechless.

Zhou Buqi said, “Senior Sister Xu, tell Lü Hua that if even one negative post about me appears on the campus forum, I’ll go straight to Principal Hu. There’s no room for negotiation on this matter!”

“Can the Principal really manage such a small matter?”

“We can try.”

Xu Jianing was silent for a long time before she said softly, “Alright, I’ll talk to him.”

…

Everything was calm.

As if nothing had happened.

No negative news about Zhou Buqi appeared on the campus forum.

“Did you seal the deal?”

The website’s model was almost complete, with only a few bugs left to fix. Zhou Buqi was in a good mood, so he joked with Guo Pengfei.

Guo Pengfei was startled. “What?”

Zhou Buqi winked. “Guan Ting!”

Guo Pengfei’s face flushed. He scratched his head, a bit awkward. “I don’t know what’s going on. She… she seems to be avoiding me. She wouldn’t even take the milk tea I offered.”

Zhou Buqi gave a light cough and said very seriously, “Your brother here is a man of loyalty. How about this, I’ll help you out?”

Guo Pengfei’s face lit up. “How will you help?”

Zhou Buqi pretended to think for a moment, then mused, “Given your simp tendencies, it’s probably impossible for you to win a girl over. How about this, I’ll put in some effort and take care of her for you. Then I’ll take her out to a hotel, record a video for you, and you can watch it later and… well, you’ll almost feel like you were there.”

“Holy crap!”

Guo Pengfei let out a howl, like a pig being slaughtered.

Everyone craned their necks.

Zhou Buqi remained unfazed and announced loudly, “The website development is almost complete, everyone has worked hard. When the website officially launches, all developers, in addition to their one thousand yuan monthly salary, will receive a big bonus!”

Everyone cheered.

They were all students, working part-time on a website at school, and their salaries ended up being higher than their parents’. How could they not be happy?

Zhou Buqi said, “It looks like the website can go online in early November. I’ve already thought of a name: Campus Network.”

This ‘Campus Network’ was not that ‘Xiaonei Network’.

The ‘Xiaonei Network’ of the previous life was once incredibly popular but quickly declined.

A major reason was that during its early development, it focused too much on the student demographic, using the name ‘Xiaonei’ (Campus Network), effectively abandoning general users. This led to the rapid rise of Kaixinwang, which seized the market.

After the mobile internet era arrived, it failed to keep up with the times and faded from the historical trend.

Zhou Buqi certainly wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes.

He would definitely create a social networking site similar to Facebook, but its name wouldn’t be ‘Xiaonei Network’.

This ‘Campus Network’ was truly a website aimed at student groups. Besides students following each other, it would also include a meal ordering system, a group buying system, a part-time job forum, and more, providing convenience for university students.

Guo Pengfei’s resentment hadn’t subsided; he glared fiercely at Zhou Buqi.

Zhou Buqi felt a little guilty. He patted Guo Pengfei’s shoulder and said, “If two hearts are meant to last, even staring blankly at each other can be romantic. Don’t worry, I have faith in you. Getting Guan Ting is no problem. If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll step in again, but that’s a last resort…”

“I don’t need it!”

Guo Pengfei roared, his voice suppressed.

“Sigh, my good intentions are being taken for ill will.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, shaking his head and swaying as he left. He was going to Beijing Foreign Studies University. Xue Baoshan said Xu Baihui was having some trouble and asked him to check it out himself.

Suddenly, he received a call from Xu Jianing: “Where are you?”

“Near the Activity Center. What’s up?”

“It’s lunchtime. Want to eat together?”

Zhou Buqi frowned. “I’ve made plans with friends to eat out.”

“Oh.” Xu Jianing paused. “Then you should still come to the dining hall. I have something to tell you.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “If you have something to say, just say it directly, right?”

“It’s not me.”

“Hmm?”

“Lü Hua is looking for you.”

“He’s looking for me?” Zhou Buqi was slightly taken aback. “What does he want with me? I’m not interested in meeting him.”

Xu Jianing said, “You should still come. This time, he’s showing a lot of sincerity. During their internal student union meeting, he also said he wouldn’t move the BBS forum to your place.”

Zhou Buqi sneered, “Is this him admitting defeat?”

Xu Jianing pondered for a long time, then slowly said, “I’m not sure. He’s been investigating you these past two days, and he was quite surprised, so he doesn’t want to conflict with you anymore.”

“Investigating me?”

“Yes, he wants to reconcile and talk to you.”

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment. “Alright, I’ll go meet him.”

He ended the call and couldn’t help but sneer.

You pick a fight, and then you just say ‘reconcile’?

Do you really think you’re someone important?

Chapter 78: Hidden Talents in the Library

Lü Hua’s attitude was indeed different from last time; he was much more amiable, even taking the initiative to stand up and shake Zhou Buqi’s hand, acting like a big shot.

Zhou Buqi had no intention of shaking his hand. He sat down directly and said indifferently, “Speak. What do you want from me?”

A flicker of annoyance crossed Lü Hua’s face, then he smiled and said, “There was a bit of a misunderstanding between us…”

“Misunderstanding? I don’t think so.”

“It really was a misunderstanding. I was also tricked by that kid Li Hongrui. He said your R&D lab had idle computers, so he wanted to move the forum group there to save school resources. His intentions were good.”

“Is that so?”

Zhou Buqi curled his lips, a look of disdain on his face. He didn’t believe such nonsense.

Xu Jianing, sitting next to him, kept giving him glances, trying to smooth things over. “Actually, it’s nothing major, just a small misunderstanding. It’ll be fine once we clear it up.”

Zhou Buqi simply grunted in acknowledgment.

For the time being, he didn’t want to clash head-on with the university’s student union.

Wouldn’t it be better to use that energy to focus on industrial development and earn more money?

Seeing that he had no intention of dwelling on the matter, Lü Hua was in a good mood and laughed, “That’s right. You develop your entrepreneurial club, and I’ll lead my student union. We’re all classmates, all serving the students of the University of Science and Technology. There shouldn’t be any conflict to begin with.”

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow, sensing a hidden meaning in his words.

Sure enough, Lü Hua immediately became serious and said, “Here’s the thing: the student union made a mistake this time and didn’t clarify the situation. To prevent similar situations from happening in the future, I think it’s necessary for us to make some things clear.”

“What do you mean?” Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes.

Lü Hua said calmly, “I’ve investigated the flyers thoroughly. They were indeed distributed by your entrepreneurial club. Other schools also have this situation, and they also have similar entrepreneurial clubs. I don’t care about that, nor do I want to know what relationship these clubs have with you. However, it’s better to clearly define our roles in advance to avoid future misunderstandings.”

“How do we define roles?”

“All intermediary-type work will be handled by the student union. We have a more appropriate justification, guidance from teachers, and we appear more capable in the eyes of businesses, which helps prevent fraud. Your entrepreneurial club… compared to the student union, it’s still a bit lacking.”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but laugh. “Chairman Lü, aren’t you a bit too confident?”

Lü Hua shook his head. “It’s not confidence; it’s a fact. Do you know how many university students taking off-campus part-time jobs are scammed every year?”

Xu Jianing said very seriously, “Zhou Buqi, this is true. Our student union often receives complaints from students who say they worked part-time off-campus, but then weren’t paid, and they want our student union to intervene. However, if such matters were initiated by the student union from the start, we would definitely take responsibility. If they contact businesses privately, we don’t know the entire sequence of events, so how can we intervene?”

Lü Hua said coldly, “Being scammed out of money is still considered good. Many girls don’t understand the cruelty of society and think they’ve met some big boss, only to be tragically swindled out of both money and their bodies! Wasn’t there an example last year? A migrant worker pretended to be a Rich second-generation, hadn’t even finished elementary school, but ended up deceiving over ten female university students, and three of them even had abortions for him.”

Xu Jianing said disdainfully, “That’s because they don’t respect themselves and want to be gold-diggers; they deserve it!”

Lü Hua frowned and said, feigning profundity, “You can’t put it that way. Who doesn’t hope to meet a Prince Charming? Most female university students nowadays are naive and gullible.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, knowing they were speaking the truth.

University students doing part-time jobs often prefer on-campus jobs, even if the pay is pitifully low.

A big reason is that off-campus part-time jobs are too unreliable.

It’s one thing not to get paid, but if you encounter bad people, there might even be danger.

Almost every year, there are female university students who are harmed off-campus.

In contrast, off-campus part-time jobs introduced by the student union are much more reliable. Although the student union might take a large commission, it’s safe and highly dependable.

Seeing Zhou Buqi’s silence, Lü Hua put on a sympathetic expression and said in a deep voice, “Therefore, this kind of intermediary service is best handled by the student union. I saw that flyer; offering students the opportunity for group enrollment in training institutions at a more favorable price is a good idea. However, your entrepreneurial club is still too weak. What if you get scammed? What if they renege on their debt? It’s much safer for the student union to handle it.”

“Heh.”

Zhou Buqi showed a mocking smile.

Were those high-sounding words just now for this purpose? To find such a pompous reason to snatch business, this Lü Hua was quite a talent.

Xu Jianing hesitated, then whispered, “Zhou Buqi, student intermediary services are all handled by the university’s student union. This is a long-standing practice, and the school also approves of it.”

This was a hint.

It was telling Zhou Buqi that even if he found Principal Hu, he wouldn’t be able to say anything, because this was within the student union’s scope of authority.

Letting clubs from other schools come to Beike to act as intermediaries and earn money from their own students?

Wouldn’t that be a slap in the face to the Beike university’s student union?

Not to mention the student union wouldn’t agree, the school administration wouldn’t either. This was a matter of image, a matter of pride.

Zhou Buqi naturally understood this principle.

This was an interconnected system; pulling one hair would move the whole body.

Whether it was a region or a school, there was always local protectionism.

“I’m too lazy to get involved in the university’s student union’s affairs. However, if anyone dares to interfere with my business, don’t blame me for being impolite!” Zhou Buqi said indifferently.

Lü Hua laughed, “Of course, you go your way, and I’ll go mine. We’ll stay out of each other’s way.”

“Then that’s that.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was cold as he stood up and left.

Watching his retreating back, Lü Hua’s lips curled into a smile, feeling incredibly smug.

You think you’re so capable, don’t you?

Opening milk tea shops, setting up some Entrepreneurship Alliance, even expanding off-campus.

How about it?

In the end, don’t you still have to suffer a setback obediently?

I snatched your business, do you dare to object?

Hmph!

Don’t forget, this is a university, and the university’s student union is the most powerful organization!

Do you really think you’re someone important?

And speaking of it, contacting training institutions for group enrollment is indeed a good business. Earning tens of thousands of yuan should be no problem, right?

…

“Husband, could you come to the Library?”

“Why? I’m busy.”

“No, please! I borrowed so many books, and they’re really heavy. Can you help me carry them?”

Zhou Buqi was in a hurry to go to Beijing Foreign Studies University to meet Xue Baoshan and Xu Baihui. After thinking about it, he felt it would be better to bring Wu Yu along.

Having Wu Yu there could curb Xu Baihui’s wildness a bit.

Upon arriving at the Library, Zhou Buqi was puzzled. “So many computer books?”

Wu Yu smiled sweetly, linking her arm through his. “You’re going to start a website, right? I’m trying to learn too, maybe I can help.”

“You?” Zhou Buqi looked disdainful.

“Hmph, don’t underestimate me. I’m very smart too,” Wu Yu pouted and huffed娇哼道.

Zhou Buqi pursed his lips. “Alright, hurry up and get ready. I’m taking you to meet two friends.”

“Friends?”

“Business partners.”

“Okay!”

Wu Yu’s eyes curved into two crescent moons in surprise, looking very happy.

She had borrowed over a dozen books in total, registering and demagnetizing them one by one.

However, when they walked out, the alarm still went off.

There were many students borrowing books, and the administrator was very busy, so he shouted, “That student, you have a book that hasn’t been demagnetized. Find it, and come back to swipe it again.”

“Oh.”

Wu Yu, holding her heavy backpack, poured out all over a dozen books and tested them one by one.

If she continued testing them one by one like this, it would take over ten tries.

With so many students queuing, the administrator was anxious and just stared.

“How could you… I’ll do it.”

The administrator saw Wu Yu’s clumsy movements and, feeling helpless, stood up decisively. He divided the over a dozen books into two piles. He tested one pile first, and the alarm didn’t ring. Then he took half of the remaining books, tested them, and the alarm rang. Then he took half of that pile again…

After three tries, he successfully found the book that hadn’t been demagnetized.

Demagnetized, cleared.

They could leave.

Wu Yu’s cheeks were flushed, feeling shy and embarrassed.

Zhou Buqi also felt quite ashamed. He picked up her backpack, pulled her along, and huffed, “You’re so stupid! Don’t you understand O(n) and O(log2n)?”

Wu Yu’s lips were pursed high, her face red and defiant. “Why are you being so fierce? I just forgot.”

Zhou Buqi snorted.

He felt a bit awkward himself.

How embarrassing!

Just now, he hadn’t thought of the binary search method either.

The Library is indeed a place of hidden talents!

Chapter 79: Causing Trouble

Wu Yu was very excited, a smile constantly playing on her lips, her joyful expression overflowing.

This was Zhou Buqi’s first time bringing her to meet his startup team, which meant she had truly entered his life, giving her a sense of acknowledged satisfaction.

“Behave yourself in front of my friends. If you embarrass me, watch out, I’ll hit you.”

Zhou Buqi took her hand and led her outside the Beijing Foreign Studies University gate.

Wu Yu affectionately hooked her arm through his, saying with a smile, “Of course not, I understand.”

However, upon seeing Xue Baoshan and Xu Baihui, the joy in her heart could no longer flutter.

One was serene and gentle, grand and clear;

The other’s glances captivated the soul.

They were both stunning beauties, the pressure was immense!

“Let me introduce you, this is my girlfriend, Wu Yu. And this is Xue Baoshan, and this is Xu Baihui. They are both my partners and good friends.”

Following Zhou Buqi’s brief introduction, Wu Yu curtsied slightly, revealing a charming and pleasant smile: “Hello Baoshan, hello Baihui, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips in a smile, saying sweetly, “Student Zhou always told us he found a fairy-like girlfriend, but we didn’t believe it. Seeing you today, it’s truly so; you’re like someone from a painting.”

Wu Yu’s cheeks flushed, and she subtly lifted her chin with a hint of smugness, glancing at Zhou Buqi. The joyful expression in her eyes, brimming with a smile, was impossible to hide.

Zhou Buqi was speechless.

This silly girl!

In front of Little Sister Bao, she was as innocent as a child.

Xu Baihui lowered her head, silent, her spirits quite low.

Zhou Buqi knew she had messed up the task and was in a bad mood, so he held Wu Yu’s hand and extended his other hand towards Xu Baihui, “Don’t be unhappy. Shall we go eat something?”

Seeing him extend his hand, Xu Baihui suddenly looked up, a hint of surprise appearing on her face. She then cautiously glanced at Wu Yu, hesitating.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “Alright, she’s not that petty. Let’s go.”

Wu Yu felt a pang of sourness in her heart, but she performed exceptionally well, saying cheerfully, “We’re all good friends, it’s fine!”

Xu Baihui, on the other hand, felt embarrassed and declined with a smile, “It’s okay, I’m not that fragile.”

The four of them went to a relatively upscale Sichuan hotpot restaurant.

The main purpose of this visit was to comfort Xu Baihui, so eating some of her hometown cuisine was a good idea.

They took a small table, and once the four were seated, Zhou Buqi asked with a smile, “Tell me, what happened?”

Xu Baihui, sitting opposite him, blushed with shame and stammered, “It… it just failed.”

“Why did it fail?”

“Too many scammers.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi immediately recalled the conversation he had with Lü Hua.

Among the seven sideline projects, Xu Baihui was responsible for the corporate employment agency project, which involved connecting university students with off-campus businesses.

Lü Hua had vehemently criticized this kind of activity, stating that only the university’s student union’s involvement would be the safest and most reliable.

Unexpectedly, Xu Baihui’s side had indeed suffered a setback.

“Our Beijing Dance Academy has fewer students, but many beauties. I organized three part-time activities in total: one for a real estate company’s sales launch, one for a hotel’s event ceremony, and another was… was street photography for several photographers.”

“Organizing three events in such a short time, that’s great!”

Zhou Buqi praised her with a smile, but sighed inwardly.

Arranging three off-campus part-time activities in just half a month was enough in quantity, but the quality was substandard. Without enough time for negotiation and social investigation, how could mutual trust be gained?

Everything is difficult at the beginning. She was too eager, too rushed.

Indeed, Xu Baihui then said with a bitter expression, “The first time was for a real estate company’s sales launch. I brought twenty people, and they promised one hundred fifty yuan per person for the platform fee. Since the business was just starting, I didn’t plan to take a commission, so I told everyone it was one hundred fifty yuan for the part-time work. They all agreed.”

“And you got scammed?”

“Yes, they said the sales launch didn’t go well because we didn’t achieve the promotional effect, and they only agreed to pay fifty yuan per person. When I tried to reason with them, several security guards in black uniforms showed up. It was terrifying.”

Wu Yu covered her mouth and gasped, “Isn’t that intimidation?”

Zhou Buqi, however, wasn’t surprised. In those days, real estate development inevitably involved demolition issues, and no one involved had clean hands.

Intimidation and threats were all too common.

Xu Baihui, still looking shaken, bit her lip and said, “Yes, later there was nothing I could do, so I just accepted it and received one thousand yuan in payment. But I had promised my classmates one hundred fifty yuan each, so I paid out of my own pocket, making up the two thousand yuan difference.”

Xue Baoshan remained elegant and composed as before, quietly drinking her juice, her expression calm, neither happy nor sad.

Wu Yu, on the other hand, looked ready to fight a common enemy, clenching her small fists and saying indignantly, “That’s outrageous! What kind of company is that? Let’s expose them!”

Zhou Buqi glared at her, and Wu Yu pouted, then shut up.

“What about the second incident?”

“A hotel was holding some event and needed ten etiquette ladies, two hundred yuan each. I brought people there. Everything went smoothly, but when it was time to get paid, they wouldn’t give it.”

“Why?”

“The hotel said that event was organized by another company using the hotel’s venue, and it had nothing to do with the hotel. They told me not to ask the hotel for money. Later, I contacted that cultural company, and they said all the event funds had been given to the hotel, so I should ask the hotel. The hotel then said they were only responsible for paying their own hotel staff, not externally hired part-time etiquette ladies… Anyway, I went back and forth five or six times, and they just kept passing the buck, and no one would pay.”

“Was there no contract?” Zhou Buqi asked.

Xu Baihui shook her head, “I asked around. These kinds of temporary part-time jobs never have contracts. Not just for etiquette ladies, even for temporary factory workers, there are no contracts.”

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes, “This is a classic case of taking advantage of university students!”

Xu Baihui lowered her head, saying with a bitter expression, “This time, I paid out of my own pocket again, losing another two thousand yuan.”

“Alright, tell me about the third time.”

“That was recommended by my classmate, a photography artist. He wanted three models for street photography in the alleyways for six hours, and the labor fee was quite high, two thousand yuan per person. So I brought people there. At first, it was indeed street photography, and many beautiful photos were taken. However, there were quite a few photographers, more than a dozen.”

“Then it wasn’t street photography anymore, was it?” Zhou Buqi had already seen through their routine.

Xu Baihui nodded, “Yes, we shot for three hours in the morning, in the alleyways, and it went quite well; everyone was satisfied. In the afternoon, they said we were going to Tongzhou to shoot indoors in a courtyard, which was completely different from what we agreed upon. I disagreed, and their attitude became terrible. They even cursed at us and said a lot of nasty things.”

It was imaginable.

In those days, art students from the Beijing Dance Academy going out as street photography models… their reputation wasn’t good to begin with, and encountering a group of scummy photographers would certainly spark some jerk-like ideas in them.

Many print models were led step by step into the abyss by photographers.

“At that time, the three girls I brought were all scared to tears. Who would dare to go to Tongzhou with them? How dangerous would that be? I had a big argument with them, didn’t ask for the money, and brought them back to school. As we had agreed beforehand, I gave each of them two thousand yuan, considering it compensation for emotional distress.”

“So, after these three events, you lost a total of ten thousand yuan?”

Xu Baihui said, blushing, “Excluding transportation, meal expenses, and some temporary outlays, yes, that’s it.”

Zhou Buqi chuckled, teasing her, “You’re usually quite a feisty girl, why do you blush so easily? It’s just a failure, what’s the big deal? I’ll talk to Senior Sister Zhen Yu later and have this money reimbursed to you.”

“Huh?” Xu Baihui was startled and quickly waved her hand, “No need, no need, I messed it up myself.”

Zhou Buqi said, “This is a project of our Entrepreneurship Alliance. Profits and losses are naturally the responsibility of the collective. Business is business, personal matters are personal; don’t mix them up.”

“No, there’s no need, right?”

Xu Baihui felt both ashamed and embarrassed. She had messed up the project, and Zhou Buqi was still going to give her money?

How humiliating would that be?

Besides, it was just ten thousand yuan; she wasn’t short of that money.

Xue Baoshan, who had been quietly elegant and proper, suddenly spoke, saying softly, “The project’s failure is due to Student Zhou’s ineffective leadership. This money should naturally come from him.”

Xu Baihui exclaimed in alarm, “No, no, no, it was my own fault…”

Zhou Buqi waved a hand, interrupting her with a smile, “Little Sister Bao is right, it’s my problem. I didn’t expect this matter to be so complicated at first. So it’s settled, I’ll reimburse you this money later.”

“Oh, alright.”

Xu Baihui’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly darted a glance at him, as if batting her eyelashes.

Fortunately, Wu Yu didn’t notice.

In her mind, two appellations still lingered: “Senior Sister Zhen Yu” and “Little Sister Bao.” Both sounded so intimate!

To say she wasn’t jealous would be a lie.

Fortunately, Xue Baoshan keenly sensed something, pursed her lips in a smile, and opened up the conversation, chatting enthusiastically with Wu Yu.

Xu Baihui let go of her burden and emerged from her dejection, gradually showing her assertive and feisty side. The atmosphere quickly became lively.

“By the way, how far have you two progressed?” Xu Baihui’s eyes darted around, clearly brewing mischief.

Wu Yu was a little embarrassed, saying with a blush, “It’s… it’s just like that.”

Her tone was weak, and she sounded very guilty.

Xu Baihui almost burst out laughing. Zhou Buqi had already told her that they had gone to a hotel together. However, at this moment, she feigned ignorance, appearing as innocent as an untouched maiden, blinking her curious big eyes, “Have you held hands?”

“Mm.”

“Have you hugged?”

“Mm.”

“Oh? Have you kissed then?”

Wu Yu was starting to be unable to cope, her face as red as a large piece of scarlet cloth, and she cast a pleading look at Zhou Buqi.

Zhou Buqi didn’t want to get involved; mainly, he wasn’t a match for Xu Baihui, that seductive slut.

He looked at Xue Baoshan, who had a playful, half-smiling expression.

Sure enough, Xu Baihui, who had been brewing this for a while, unleashed her big move, widening her beautiful eyes and gasping, “Wu Yu, you’re only boyfriend and girlfriend, and you’ve already kissed? Then when you get married, won’t you have to go to bed together? Oh my goodness, how can that be?”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu was a little dumbfounded, her brain circuit hadn’t caught up.

On the other side, Xue Baoshan was already slumped on the table, her face buried in her arms, her shoulders trembling, her laughter intermittent.

A black line appeared on Zhou Buqi’s forehead.

This Xu Baihui, causing trouble again!

Chapter 80: You Get to Eat Dog Food

Xu Baihui was cheerful and talkative, seemingly intending to tease Wu Yu, always bringing up unconventional topics.

Wu Yu’s face remained flushed throughout, as if she were being teased.

Zhou Buqi couldn’t be bothered to participate, and Xue Baoshan, being a proper young lady, found it even more awkward. The two of them chatted about the milk tea shop while eating hotpot.

“The renovation of the Tsinghua store is almost complete. Liu Wenbo said it will open by the end of this month. Also, the Peking University store and Renmin University of China store have started renovations, and we’re selecting locations for Minzu University of China, China Agricultural University, and Normal University.”

“Hmm, Liu Wenbo’s capabilities are fine. Among us, he’s probably the most… comparable to Senior Sister Zhen Yu.”

“Senior Sister Zhen Yu?”

Xue Baoshan was a little surprised. She was unfamiliar with that quiet Senior Sister from the Finance University and hadn’t interacted much with her.

Zhou Buqi smiled and shook his head, “To be honest, I misjudged her too. Perhaps her emotional state has been problematic lately, making her seem a bit cold, which might have led to some misunderstandings. Once this tabletop advertising project is implemented, everyone will know her true capabilities. Frankly, from the information I currently have, she’s a strong woman.”

“Oh, really? Then congratulations, Student Zhou.” Xue Baoshan gave a gentle smile.

Zhou Buqi waved a hand, “Right, we need to choose the store manager for the Tsinghua store carefully.”

“Hmm, let Sister Li go. The Beijing Foreign Studies University store’s performance is so good, and I barely managed it myself; she deserves a lot of credit. Plus, she’s very reliable and has no shady dealings.” Xue Baoshan didn’t stand on ceremony, directly assigning her confidant to the position.

Zhou Buqi’s heart skipped a beat. He fixed his gaze on her, “Shady dealings?”

“The Beijing Foreign Studies University store definitely doesn’t have any; I’m personally overseeing it. And with you in charge of the Beike store, there shouldn’t be much of a problem either,” Xue Baoshan said calmly.

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes, “So, it’s the Beijing Institute of Technology store?”

Xue Baoshan remained silent, lowering her head to eat a slice of lamb. Her movements were graceful and dignified, chewing slowly and meticulously. She held a napkin, wiping the corners of her mouth as she ate, every action as if she had been trained.

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but chuckle, “Little Sister Bao, aren’t you tired eating like that?”

Xue Baoshan looked up and pursed her lips into a smile, “My mother taught me since I was little; I’m used to it.”

“A well-bred young lady!”

Zhou Buqi smiled and raised a finger.

Xue Baoshan gently shook her head and sighed softly, “I’m not really a well-bred young lady…”

Her expression seemed a little forlorn.

Zhou Buqi skillfully changed the subject, asking, “What’s going on with the Beijing Institute of Technology store? Do you have any evidence?”

“No evidence.” Xue Baoshan paused, then softly said, “But there are always some signs.”

“Tell me.”

“The cup loss rate at the Beijing Institute of Technology store is a bit high.”

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes widened suddenly, and his heart sank.

Xue Baoshan listed off precisely, “Currently, the three stores have been open for sixteen days. As of yesterday, the Beijing Foreign Studies University store has sold a total of fourteen thousand eight hundred ninety-four cups, consuming fifteen thousand fifty-four milk tea cups, making the cup loss rate one point one percent. The Beike store sold four thousand five hundred seventy-five cups, consuming four thousand six hundred twenty-one cups, with a loss rate of zero point nine percent. I haven’t received the latest data for the Beijing Institute of Technology store yet, but I calculated the loss rate from a while ago, and it reached two point two percent.”

The milk tea shops were still quite rudimentary at the time, without networked office systems or real-time invoicing.

To ascertain the true sales of each store, one could only calculate it based on the consumption of cups.

After all, the quantity of cups was controllable.

From the data of the Beijing Foreign Studies University store and the Beike store, it could be concluded that a cup loss rate of around one percent was normal, meaning that for every one hundred cups of milk tea sold, there might be one damaged cup.

However, the Beijing Institute of Technology store’s loss rate was more than double, clearly indicating shady dealings.

“It seems this person’s integrity is truly lacking.”

Zhou Buqi curled his lip in disdain.

Inflating the number of damaged milk tea cups would amount to at most a few hundred yuan.

Was Liu Wenbo really that short on money?

To engage in such petty schemes for such a small amount of money was truly contemptible.

If he had openly employed power tactics to vie for power with Zhou Buqi, whether successful or not, he would have earned respect.

But to engage in shady dealings behind the scenes for a mere few hundred yuan was truly undignified.

Xue Baoshan was always polite, previously addressing Liu Wenbo as “Senior Student Liu,” but now she called him by his full name, indicating her thoughts on the matter; his image had utterly shattered in her eyes.

“What do you want to do?”

“Let’s handle it discreetly.”

Zhou Buqi thought for a moment and decided not to make a fuss.

Liu Wenbo was currently full of drive, leading the milk tea shops to expand their reach. It had to be said, he was doing a good job. At this stage, the milk tea shops still needed him to operate.

Perhaps this was also the reason that led him to take risks and commit some wrongdoings.

After all, compared to the others in the startup team, his contributions were greater. As for compensation, Zhou Buqi had already stated that everyone would be treated equally, receiving two thousand yuan per person per month.

Xue Baoshan pursed her lips and softly hummed, “I understand. No one else will know about this; the data will remain only with me.”

Zhou Buqi smiled and praised her, “I knew it, Little Sister Bao is the most capable.”

Xue Baoshan winked, her expression sweetly naive, and she pouted her lips.

Beside them, Xu Baihui had already led Wu Yu down a rabbit hole.

“Boss Zhou is a Northeasterner, right? I heard Northeastern men all like to beat their wives, is that true?”

“It depends on the person.”

“Ah? There really are such people?”

Xu Baihui was startled, her face blank.

Wu Yu nodded, “It’s quite common.”

Xu Baihui exclaimed in disbelief, “How can that be? That’s domestic violence…”

“Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t understand!”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t take it anymore and quickly interrupted her. “If you want to chat, then chat properly. Why bring up such things? Don’t you dare brainwash my woman with feminist ideas; I don’t condone that kind of talk!”

Xu Baihui froze, staring blankly at him, as if she had never truly known him.

Zhou Buqi snorted and said sternly, “Don’t always jump to domestic violence! ‘To beat is to show affection, to scold is to show love,’ understand? Take Wu Yu, for example. If she’s not well-behaved, if she makes a mistake, shouldn’t I give her a couple of smacks?”

Xu Baihui felt her worldview crumbling.

Xue Baoshan’s large eyes blinked, looking very curious.

Wu Yu’s face was burning, and her ears were red. She glanced at Zhou Buqi, hesitated for a moment, then said in a soft voice, “If one makes a mistake, a few smacks aren’t a big deal. It’s like disciplining a child; constant spoiling won’t do. Appropriate punishment, an occasional smack or two, is acceptable. Of course, you can’t hit too hard; injuring someone is domestic violence.”

Xu Baihui rolled her eyes, almost fainting.

Where was her usual spirited and confident demeanor now?

Mentally broken.

Zhou Buqi glanced at her triumphantly and chuckled, “Baihui, your thinking isn’t mature enough yet. You still need to learn more from my Little Yu, understand?”

You don’t know anything!

Xu Baihui almost swore out loud.

For the first time, she felt that Zhou Buqi was truly the scumbag of all scumbags, the ultimate scumbag.

Xue Baoshan’s beautiful eyes shifted as she curiously asked, “Sister Wu Yu, has Student Zhou ever hit you?”

Wu Yu smiled brightly, “No, he hasn’t.”

Zhou Buqi said lightly, “She’s been behaving very well and hasn’t made any mistakes, so there’s no need to hit her for now. But if she makes a mistake in the future, she’ll still need to be taught a lesson, don’t you agree?”

After speaking, he gazed at Wu Yu.

Wu Yu, her face flushed, quietly hummed, then softly said, “Yes, that’s how it should be.”

Seeing Xu Baihui’s utterly defeated expression, Zhou Buqi was greatly satisfied. He felt comfortable in every pore, as if he had exacted sweet revenge, and then he got up to pay the bill.

As soon as Zhou Buqi left, Wu Yu, who had been as still as a maiden, suddenly became as lively as a rabbit. She leaned on the table, covering her mouth, and whispered, “Don’t believe a word of what I just said.”

“Pfft!”

Xue Baoshan’s laugh swept away her earlier surprise and confusion. Her beautiful face and cherry lips were like a blossoming branch in spring.

Xu Baihui’s eyes also sparkled, and she eagerly asked, “What’s going on?”

Wu Yu cautiously looked up, and seeing that Zhou Buqi hadn’t returned yet, she lowered her head and whispered, “He’s a bit of a male chauvinist; he always wants to… to mold me. But since we’re in a relationship, I just go along with him. After all, he dotes on me so much, so we just accommodate each other.”

“Dotes on you? Wasn’t he going to hit you?” Xu Baihui’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Wu Yu said with a giggle, “He’s just bluffing! He always says he’s going to beat me, but in reality, he spoils me rotten. Yesterday at noon, I said I wanted to eat sweet and sour pork, but I had classes in the afternoon and couldn’t go out. Guess what? When we went to the Dining Hall for dinner, he had already brought back a portion of sweet and sour pork from the Olympic Sports Center Park, and it was still warm! I was so touched I almost cried.”

“Oh.” Xu Baihui pouted, feeling a pang of jealousy.

She felt Zhou Buqi was a little too good to her.

It felt unfair.

Xue Baoshan smiled, “Yes, that’s Student Zhou’s style. He… he seems fierce usually, but he’s actually sharp-tongued but kind-hearted.”

Wu Yu felt like she had found a kindred spirit and said with a blissful and sweet expression, “Yes, that’s exactly it! He always scolds me and acts like a clueless pickup artist. But in reality, he’s incredibly considerate. Last time I had my period… we weren’t even officially together then, but he went to my dorm building every morning to bring me fruit and brown sugar water. My roommates were all so envious!”

Xue Baoshan’s clear, starry eyes sparkled, her cherry lips slightly parted, and her breath like orchids, she murmured, “That’s wonderful.”

Wu Yu looked a little smug and chuckled, “Yes, he’s so good to me! Don’t let his tough talk fool you; I bet he wouldn’t dare lay a single finger on me.”

“I almost misunderstood just now.”

Xue Baoshan sighed in relief and said with a smile.

Xu Baihui’s mood suddenly plummeted, like a roller coaster ride. What had started with enthusiasm turned into boredom and loneliness. She stood up and said huffily, “Alright, I’m not eating anymore! I thought I was eating hotpot, but it turns out I just ate a meal of dog food.”

With that, she huffily stood up and left without a word.

Wu Yu was very puzzled, not knowing how she had offended her.

Xue Baoshan was very understanding. She smiled and took Wu Yu’s hand, comforting her, “It’s alright, that’s just how she is, very impulsive. She’s not mad at you.”

“Really?” Wu Yu wasn’t convinced; she could feel it.

Xue Baoshan thought for a moment, then whispered, “She likes Student Zhou and wanted to pursue him, but she was rejected. She probably can’t stand seeing how affectionate you two are.”

“Oh, I see…”

Wu Yu was filled with pleasant surprise, her heart feeling like an overturned honey pot.

Chapter 81: First Month’s Performance of the Milk Tea Shop

Hearing that Zhou Buqi had rejected a stunning beauty like Xu Baihui, Wu Yu’s happiness was evident.

The two went shopping for a while, and Wu Yu nestled in his arms the whole time, her face flushed and radiant like a rose after spring rain. She sweetly said, “Husband, how was my performance today?”

“Very good, keep up the good work.”

Zhou Buqi was very satisfied with her, extremely satisfied.

He had repeatedly been humiliated by Xu Baihui, always finding himself in a difficult position. He never expected that Wu Yu, this silly girl, would actually put an end to Xu Baihui’s arrogance!

It truly was a case of one thing conquering another.

Wu Yu said coyly, “Husband, from now on, I’ll obediently listen to you, listen to everything you say, okay?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know the inside story and felt curious, so he left some room, saying, “Even if you’re obedient, you’ll still get a scolding if you deserve it. If you have faults, correct them; if not, strive for even better.”

“Mmm-hmm, scold, scold, scold!” Wu Yu said with a radiant smile, looking very cheerful.

Zhou Buqi was stunned.

What’s up with this girl today?

Did she get stimulated?

Wu Yu, blushing, leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Husband, I don’t want to go back to the dorm tonight. Let’s stay out.”

Zhou Buqi shot her a sidelong glance. “Aren’t you afraid your dormmates will make fun of you?”

“Let them laugh, then. It’s only right for me to stay out with my Husband.” Wu Yu said, shaking her head, then became slightly bashful, her face flushed. She stood on tiptoe and whispered, “Husband, tonight I’ll listen to you completely. Whatever you say goes.”

Zhou Buqi’s heart skipped a beat.

He concluded that this girl must have been stimulated. Why was she so strange?

He directly asked her, “Why are you so happy? What did you two talk about when I was paying the bill?”

Wu Yu said shyly, “Nothing much.”

“Hmm? Asking for a scolding?”

Zhou Buqi glared, very sternly.

Wu Yu’s tone was cheerful and light. “Baoshan told me that Xu Baihui likes you and was pursuing you, but you rejected her!”

“That’s it?” Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Yes, I’m happy.” Wu Yu smiled brightly, looking carefree.

Zhou Buqi snorted. “I think you’re overthinking it. My rejecting her doesn’t mean I’ll reject other pretty girls. You, you’re destined to be a concubine!”

“Small is small, but the small one is favored.”

Wu Yu let out a soft hum, her chin slightly raised, looking both provocative and playful, thinking he was deliberately teasing her.

Zhou Buqi was truly both annoyed and amused.

This silly girl, do you think I’m joking with you?

…

The milk tea shop had been open for a month, and the performance figures were out.

Beike store: a total of nine thousand two hundred sixty-five cups sold, gross profit of twenty-seven thousand.

Beijing Institute of Technology store: a total of nineteen thousand seven hundred forty-five cups sold, gross profit of fifty-seven thousand.

Beijing Foreign Studies University store: a total of thirty thousand five hundred seventeen cups sold, gross profit of eighty-eight thousand.

Tsinghua store: only open for seven days, sold over eight thousand five hundred cups, gross profit of twenty-five thousand.

After deducting rent, utility bills, salaries for full-time Assistant Store Managers and part-time students, the startup team’s wages, new store investments, and some reported taxes…

After one month, the book balance was over one hundred twenty thousand.

Zhou Buqi had invested a total of seventy thousand to open the shops, and in just one month, he had recouped his capital and had a surplus of over fifty thousand.

It could be said that business was excellent!

However, it was still unlikely to withdraw funds for other ventures, as the milk tea shops would soon enter a rapid expansion phase.

The investment budget for each store was twenty thousand. Next, the Peking University store, Renmin University of China store, Minzu University of China store, and Normal University store would begin operations simultaneously. Subsequently, the Beihang University store, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications store, and Beijing Dance Academy store were also in the plans.

Being able to use profits from existing stores to fund new ones, without Zhou Buqi needing to invest additional money, was already excellent.

At the latest Ten-University Entrepreneurship Alliance meeting, Zhou Buqi seemed to have become a supporting character. Liu Wenbo spoke eloquently, directing affairs, with an imposing air of commanding the world.

Zhou Buqi wasn’t annoyed and responded with a smile throughout.

Now, he had ample confidence.

If you want a horse to run, you have to feed it grass.

Liu Wenbo wanted to show off?

Then let him.

It was harmless.

There were no fools present; everyone knew exactly what kind of person he was.

After discussing the milk tea shop matters, Zhou Buqi took over the leadership of the meeting and talked about the seven side projects.

Currently, all seven projects had been launched.

The most successful project was undoubtedly the table advertising project managed by Zhen Yu. Currently, she had finalized advertising contracts with six beverage companies, including Coca-Cola, Huiyuan Juice, Robust, and Master Kong.

On average, the monthly fee for each table advertisement ranged from twenty-five to thirty-five yuan, with universities and Dining Halls with high foot traffic often commanding higher prices.

Regarding communication with the Dining Halls, Zhen Yu was concerned that the startup teams from various schools might leak information, similar to the flyers for group registrations at training institutions, which could lead to strong resistance from the university’s student union. She personally led the team, negotiating with one school after another, one Dining Hall after another.

After a month, she had almost secured the cluster of universities on the west side of the city, negotiating with over thirty schools, sixty-seven Dining Halls, and more than forty thousand tables.

Logically speaking, she could start placing advertisements and earning money at this stage.

However, she had great ambition.

This was a creative project with no significant technical barriers. The reason it could make money was entirely due to Zhou Buqi’s flash of insight, which allowed him to discover business opportunities that others couldn’t.

Once it started to expand on a large scale now, there would be no opportunities left for the universities that hadn’t been contacted. The university’s student unions in each school would quickly mobilize upon hearing the news, ensuring that “the fertile water doesn’t flow into outsiders’ fields.”

Unlike other projects, the table advertising project was a one-time deal.

If they didn’t make a huge profit this time, there would be little chance to earn money later, as the university’s student unions in each school would certainly monopolize it.

According to Zhen Yu, she didn’t plan to launch this project throughout November, choosing instead to continue visiting Dining Halls and signing contracts.

There were hundreds of universities in The Capital. Zhen Yu planned to secure sixty of them. There was no need to penetrate the remaining private schools and vocational colleges, as the vested interests there were too complex, making it unsuitable for promotion.

It could be said that this project was 90% complete, just waiting to be launched and shine brightly.

The easiest project was the dormitory convenience store project managed by Meng Houkun.

This project wouldn’t be hindered by the university’s student union, as it required significant initial investment and goods transportation costs.

More importantly, opening a convenience store in a dormitory was no difficulty for university students.

Just display the goods in the dorm room, collect money and give change daily. Suppliers would provide the goods and deliver them to the door. How simple was that?

It required no complicated operations; it was like picking up money.

So, when Meng Houkun led his team to promote it in dormitories across various schools, as soon as a notice was posted, at least a dozen dorm rooms in a single dormitory building called, requesting cooperation.

Meng Houkun, with a bag tucked under his arm, surveyed the sites and interviewed students like a big boss, looking quite impressive.

It could be said that these two projects no longer required Zhou Buqi’s special attention.

The other projects, however, were not doing as well.

“Baihui, don’t pursue your corporate intermediary project anymore. For now, follow Senior Sister Zhen Yu, help her with the restaurant advertising project, be humble, and ask for more guidance.”

“Brother Ma, your training institution project… to be honest, this was also a mistake in my decision-making. In my opinion, let’s put this project aside for now as well.”

Zhou Buqi sighed.

He wasn’t a god; he also made mistakes.

He had originally thought that by leveraging the resources of university students, he could easily set up a training institution to teach primary and secondary school students. But he had overlooked that this was The Capital, where land prices were astonishing.

Renting houses outside school to run training classes meant the tuition fees wouldn’t even cover the rent.

Ma Pingshan also realized this predicament and chose another path: having university students “deliver services to the door,” letting them become private tutors for one-on-one lessons.

But then another problem arose: this was The Capital, where famous teachers from all over the country resided, and training classes were as numerous as ox hairs.

Many of the tutoring teachers were even those who set the Gaokao questions.

In such a situation, how many people would seek university students as private tutors?

Moreover, high school students mostly had time only in the evenings. Should university students go to their homes at night? How could safety be guaranteed?

There were many problems.

“Ah? Giving up?”

Ma Pingshan was a bit unwilling. Although the project wasn’t progressing smoothly, it had at least started, and his flyers had been distributed to over a dozen high schools.

Zhou Buqi said, “Not giving up, just temporarily shelving it. Without coordinated resource integration, it’s really not very feasible to gain a foothold in the training industry.”

“Resource integration?”

“For example, Chen Dong’s publishing industry project. After his Top Scorer for Gaokao’s Notes is published, combining it with training institutions might have unexpected results.”

Ma Pingshan nodded. “Alright.”

“How’s the fast food delivery?” Zhou Buqi’s gaze turned to Zhang Yinlei.

Zhang Yinlei frowned slightly and slowly said, “I’ve launched it at Minzu University of China with eight people, and it’s operating fairly well. Everyone received two hundred yuan in wages, and there’s still a surplus of five hundred yuan.”

As soon as he said this, everyone’s expressions clouded over slightly.

It seemed the fast food delivery business wasn’t doing well either.

“Are there any difficulties?”

Zhou Buqi, however, was pleasantly surprised. He knew how difficult and complex the meal delivery business was. For Zhang Yinlei to lead a team to a five hundred yuan profit in just over half a month was an absolute huge success.

It seemed Zhang Yinlei, hailing from a background as a left-behind child, possessed the quality of enduring hardships and was suitable for tackling tough challenges.

Zhang Yinlei mused, “The business model is still not right. Phone ordering is too inefficient. Not only do we have to answer calls, but we also need to write down dishes and delivery addresses with pen and paper. It takes too much time. Two or three minutes per call is considered fast.”

The smile on Zhou Buqi’s face deepened. “How do you think it should be solved?”

Zhang Yinlei hesitated for a moment, not speaking.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know, but that he didn’t want to say.

Everyone present probably knew the solution.

The key was, how to do it?

Build an online ordering system?

That’s too unrealistic!

Liu Wenbo, who had been silent for a long time, slapped the table and laughed, “I thought it was much harder! Isn’t this easy to solve? Just create an online ordering website, right? Everyone orders online, and we directly get the data from the backend. Simple, direct, and efficient!”

Zhang Yinlei nodded, still not speaking.

He had a steady personality, not one for boasting.

Zhou Buqi smiled, “No rush for now. Minzu University of China is near Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing Foreign Studies University. We can use the phone ordering model to get these two schools started as well. Whether it’s phone or online, it’s just a change in the ordering medium. The actual operational experience can be accumulated. Let’s take our time.”

Chapter 82: This Kid’s Going to Rebel

Wen Zhixia sent a text message: “Do you have time? Let’s talk.”

Zhou Buqi replied: “Tonight, when I get home.”

Back in the dorm, he dragged out his suitcase and packed his clothes, computer, and daily necessities.

His dormmates were all stunned. Wang Dalong exclaimed in shock, “Old Zhou, are you dropping out?”

Zhou Buqi was both annoyed and amused. “Who’s dropping out?”

“Then what’s going on with you?”

“I’m moving out.”

“Moving out?”

Wang Dalong, Yan Xinlei, and Yang Xin were all slightly taken aback.

Yan Xinlei, who had seen the beautiful Wu Yu, asked, “Old Zhou, are you moving in with your girlfriend?”

“Something like that.”

Zhou Buqi gave a noncommittal laugh.

“Holy crap! Impressive!”

Wang Dalong slapped his thigh, exclaiming repeatedly.

All three dormmates looked envious.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Even though I’m moving out, I’ll still come back occasionally. If anything happens in the dorm, just give me a call.”

On the way, Zhou Buqi called Wu Yu, telling her he wouldn’t be getting a hotel room tonight, and that she should rest well in her dorm, conserve her energy, and they would fight again another day.

This earned him a series of playful complaints from Wu Yu.

Dragging his suitcase, he arrived at Xuezhi Community, took the elevator, and used the key to open the door.

“Who’s there?”

As soon as the sound of the door opening was heard, a startled cry came from inside the room.

“It’s me.”

Zhou Buqi quickly spoke up, afraid of startling her.

“Zhou Buqi?”

Just then, a great beauty emerged from the kitchen, dressed in a white silky nightgown with an apron tied around her waist. She had a voluptuous figure and a slender waist, radiant and elegant. Her shoulder-length hair exuded a captivating and alluring charm, her skin was as fair as snow, and her features were as exquisite as a painting, possessing an air of peerless grace.

“Teacher Wen, are you cooking?”

Zhou Buqi smiled, looking very surprised.

Wen Zhixia’s expression was a little strange, and her face felt hot. She casually mumbled “Mm” and turned back into the kitchen.

She had seen it.

Zhou Buqi had arrived dragging a suitcase.

This meant he was moving in?

The more she thought about it, the faster Wen Zhixia’s heart pounded.

Actually, she had considered this possibility for a while.

Zhou Buqi had said he would be busy with his startup and would move out, it was just a matter of time.

But now that he was really here, she felt nervous.

He was a student, true.

But he was also a man.

This was a single man and a single woman sharing a room, wasn’t it?

While Wen Zhixia was lost in thought, Zhou Buqi changed into slippers and walked into the kitchen, asking with a smile, “Teacher Wen, what delicious food are you making?”

Wen Zhixia was diligently stir-frying, not looking at him. “Just stir-frying a couple of dishes.”

“How lucky I am to get to eat this.”

“You came from school?”

“Mm, I just moved my things over. I’ll be living here from now on.”

“Oh.”

Wen Zhixia’s heart suddenly sped up again, unsure what to say.

Should she refuse?

He was the Landlord, wasn’t it only right for him to live in his own house?

Just then, Zhou Buqi found a hair tie from somewhere, walked behind her, and skillfully gathered her beautiful hair, tying her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail.

He even said gently, “It’s best to tie your hair up when cooking.”

“Alright, you don’t need to help here. Go unpack your own things.” Wen Zhixia’s heart was flustered, and she replied perfunctorily.

“You don’t need my help?”

“No.”

“Alright then.”

Listening to his footsteps fade away, Wen Zhixia cautiously turned her head and, seeing that he had indeed left, let out a long sigh of relief. She touched her ponytail, then covered her chest.

Her cheeks were burning hot.

“This kid, he’s too aggressive. What am I going to do…”

Wen Zhixia mumbled to herself, her brows furrowed in worry, as if her future looked bleak.

She wasn’t stupid.

She could tell what this young man was thinking with just a glance.

…

Three stir-fried dishes and one cold dish.

Wen Zhixia’s cooking skills were quite average; it wasn’t inedible, but it wasn’t particularly delicious either, just barely acceptable.

The key was the good atmosphere.

This was their first time eating together.

“Want some wine?”

“No, thanks.”

Wen Zhixia rolled her eyes at him, her heart in turmoil.

Eating with someone of the opposite sex was already nerve-wracking enough.

And this person was her student.

That made her even more at a loss.

Zhou Buqi, on the other hand, looked relaxed, enthusiastically serving her food.

Wen Zhixia demurred, “No need, I can do it myself.”

Zhou Buqi seemed not to hear, continuing to serve her food, and casually asked, “You said you wanted to talk to me, what about?”

“Um… two things I need to tell you.”

“Go ahead.”

“You know I have a pastry shop, near the North Gate. Someone wants to take it over, and the offer is quite suitable.”

“Are you really short on money?”

Zhou Buqi looked at her in surprise, though he had already expected it.

She was a university teacher and ran a shop on campus; earning ten to twenty thousand a month shouldn’t be difficult.

But what was the result?

She had no house, no car, and even when renting, she chose cheap studio apartments.

Where did the money go?

Wen Zhixia picked up a few grains of rice with her chopsticks and ate them slowly, then lowered her head and said calmly, “My family is from the countryside. They borrowed a lot of money to put me through school. My younger brother started working in the city after junior high. Now, my brother is in his twenties and has found a partner from the county town.”

“So you’re buying him a house?”

“No.” Wen Zhixia shook her head. “The house has already been bought; it’s on mortgage payments.”

“You paid for it?”

“Mm.”

Zhou Buqi sighed, feeling the immense pressure on her shoulders. She was twenty-four or twenty-five this year, at an age when she should be most concerned with beauty and trends, yet she didn’t go to bars, didn’t shop, and didn’t date. It was quite heartbreaking.

“Then why are you selling the shop?”

“He wants to buy a car.”

“Holy crap!”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but blurt out a curse word.

How insatiable!

As an older sister, buying him a house wasn’t enough, he wanted a car too?

Zhou Buqi currently had over four hundred thousand in his account, and his business was booming, yet he hadn’t even thought about buying a car.

Wen Zhixia looked up and glanced at him, her expression calm. “Alright, let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about proper business. I heard that the students who are taking over the shop also want to open a milk tea shop.”

“Really?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t pay much attention.

Yuanwei Milk Tea Shop’s business was so good, there would definitely be copycats.

“You don’t mind?”

“It’s fine. Competition is a good thing.”

“Then I’ll go ahead and sell the shop.”

“Teacher Wen, I know there are some things I shouldn’t say, but…”

“Then don’t say them!”

“Oh, alright.”

Zhou Buqi shrugged indifferently, lowering his head to eat his rice.

Wen Zhixia felt apologetic and proactively served him a piece of eggplant, saying softly, “I know what you mean, but my family… my parents have always been in poor health. The money for my high school was borrowed by my family, and my brother earned the tuition for my first two years of university by working. For my sake, my family gave everything.”

Zhou Buqi sighed. “I just feel bad for you.”

“You don’t need to.”

Wen Zhixia glared at him fiercely, her expression indifferent.

Zhou Buqi slapped his chopsticks down and scoffed, “Mistaking good intentions for ill will, no one’s going to care about you!”

“Hm?” Wen Zhixia widened her beautiful eyes. “What’s with your attitude?”

“This attitude!”

“Fine, I was going to give you some rent, but now I won’t!”

“I never planned on taking it anyway.”

“You…”

Wen Zhixia’s face flushed slightly, feeling a bit guilty. No matter what, living in someone else’s house for free without paying rent just didn’t sit right.

She reined in her composure and lowered her head, saying, “I don’t have much money. After the pastry shop is transferred, I’ll be even more strapped for cash, so I can’t afford the rent. But since you’re moving in, how about this: I’ll be responsible for cleaning, laundry, and cooking, and that can count as rent. What do you think?”

Zhou Buqi pouted. “For this apartment, two thousand five hundred in rent isn’t high, is it? Humph, if I hired a nanny, it wouldn’t cost that much.”

“Then what do you want?” Wen Zhixia felt a pang of bitterness.

“Hehe, of course it’s…”

Zhou Buqi grinned, wanting to tease her, but stopped the words at his lips.

Teacher Wen’s eyes were red.

Zhou Buqi coughed lightly, quickly changed his tone, and said earnestly, “I’m not good at laundry, so you can be responsible for that. As for the other housework, we’ll do it together. And for the rent… you know I’m very rich, I truly don’t care about it. How about this, since I don’t have time for classes during the day anyway, when you’re free, you can tutor me, and that’ll count as rent.”

“I tutor you?”

“Mm, you’re a Teacher, after all.”

“You still remember I’m your Teacher?”

Wen Zhixia mumbled softly, with a hint of sarcasm.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “So, is it settled then?”

“Mm.” Wen Zhixia nodded gently, her heart curious. “How much did the milk tea shop earn last month?”

“Over one hundred thousand, I guess.” Zhou Buqi said nonchalantly, “But you know, I’m not relying on the milk tea shop to recoup capital right now. My cash flow comes from the domain name business.”

“You’re truly excellent.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you done eating? Then I’ll clean up.”

“Mm, I’m done.”

Wen Zhixia got up and began to clear the dishes.

Zhou Buqi had talked a good game just now, but when it came to doing chores, he didn’t move, sitting there like a big shot, watching her busy herself alone. He asked, “Teacher Wen, I think there are some things we should discuss beforehand, to avoid arguments later.”

“Ah?”

Wen Zhixia, who was wiping the dining table with a rag, looked up at him strangely.

Zhou Buqi said solemnly, “We’re living together now. Even if we can tolerate each other, some friction is inevitable in daily life. That’s to be expected. If disagreements do arise, arguing is definitely not the way to solve problems.”

“What do you want?”

Wen Zhixia gained a new understanding of his maturity.

Zhou Buqi said, “I think there should be a clear hierarchy of authority, with a main decision-maker. If a disagreement arises, we listen to the main decision-maker to avoid arguments and maintain harmony.”

Wen Zhixia understood what he meant. “Mm, then we’ll listen to me.”

Zhou Buqi immediately laughed in exasperation. “Listen to you? Why? On what grounds?”

“Because I’m the Teacher, and you’re the student.”

“What makes a Teacher so special? Do you dare say you’re more capable than me? More knowledgeable?”

“I…”

“Alright, I’m not discussing this with you. It’s settled. I’m the Landlord, I’m the pillar. In this home, we listen to me!”

Zhou Buqi stood up, waved his sleeve, and made the decision domineeringly, walking away without looking back. “Wash the dishes later, don’t let them pile up.”

Wen Zhixia’s face turned pale with anger.

I knew it!

This kid’s going to rebel!

Chapter 83: Taking You for a Run

The first night of cohabitation passed peacefully.

Early the next morning.

It was just six o’clock, and Wen Zhixia was still deep in slumber when she was startled awake by a rapid knocking on the door.

“Teacher Wen, time to get up!”

“Is something wrong?”

Wen Zhixia’s voice was lazy, tinged with sleepiness.

Zhou Buqi shouted loudly, “It’s dawn, time to go for a run!”

“What?”

Wen Zhixia’s sleepiness vanished completely, and she nearly exploded with anger.

This early in the morning, instead of sleeping soundly, he wanted to go for a run?

Was there something wrong with his head?

“Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy. A day’s planning is done in the morning,” Zhou Buqi said, his words logical and well-reasoned. “Exercising is the greatest investment in oneself; you must persist.”

Persistence, my foot!

Wen Zhixia almost cursed out loud. How many years had it been since she last went for a morning run?

“Hurry up and get out of bed, don’t dawdle!”

“I’m not going, you go by yourself!”

“How can that be? Hurry up!”

“I said! I’m not going!”

A hint of annoyance laced Wen Zhixia’s voice. Her beautiful dream had been disturbed, so her mood was naturally terrible.

Zhou Buqi’s temper flared upon hearing this. He shouted, “Wen Zhixia, I’m saying it again, get up immediately! Come for a run with me!”

Wen Zhixia huffed and retorted, “You go if you want, I’m not going!”

“Oh? Still daring to talk back?”

Zhou Buqi scoffed, “You forgot what we agreed on yesterday? I’m the Landlord, the main decision-maker! When opinions differ, you have to listen to me!”

Wen Zhixia nearly fainted from anger.

“I’ll give you one more minute. If you don’t get up, I’ll rush in and drag you out of bed!” Zhou Buqi was never one to have a good temper, and he issued a threat.

“Hmph!”

Wen Zhixia in the bedroom sneered disdainfully.

Rush in?

How would he rush in?

She was already prepared, okay?

When she went to bed last night, she had locked the door, just in case certain people had bad ideas and did bad things.

Unexpectedly, certain people didn’t act at night but started causing trouble early in the morning.

He really had issues!

“Five!”

“Four!”

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

Zhou Buqi’s countdown didn’t make Wen Zhixia feel any urgency; instead, she found the boy even more ridiculous. Despite his strong earning ability, he was still a young punk, not mature enough.

Let’s see how you back down!

Hmph!

However, in the very next moment, Wen Zhixia panicked and was at a loss.

She heard the jingle of keys.

She heard the sound of the door lock turning.

“Zhou Buqi, stop it!”

Wen Zhixia was terrified, speaking incoherently, her voice distorted.

When the door lock clicked, she completely fell into despair.

“Ah!”

She shrieked, quickly moved closer to the headboard, grabbed the quilt, and tightly wrapped it around her body, like a helpless chick in a storm.

The next moment, Zhou Buqi walked in with a dark expression.

A bunch of keys dangled in his hand.

“Get out! I’m not dressed!”

Wen Zhixia clutched the quilt tightly with both hands, even covering her face, revealing only a pair of terrified eyes.

“Now you know fear?” Zhou Buqi’s lips curved into a smirk. He walked over with a cold expression and sat on the edge of the bed. “I told you, if you don’t get up, I’ll drag you out of bed. Did you think I was joking?”

As he spoke, he reached out and tugged at the quilt.

Wen Zhixia screamed again in fright, “No! Don’t do that! I’m your Teacher!”

Zhou Buqi said indifferently, “At school, you are the Teacher. Here, I am the Landlord. We agreed yesterday, you have to listen to me!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you, I’ll listen to everything you say!” At this point, Wen Zhixia was incoherent, her eyes pleading. “Zhou Buqi, my lord, I beg you, please go out first. I’ll get dressed right away and go for a run with you.”

“Are you going to be obedient this time?”

“Yes!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

Zhou Buqi nodded, his expression calm. “Alright then, I’ll test you. If you’re still not honest, don’t blame me for being impolite. Making mistakes means you have to be punished, understand?”

“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I’ll definitely listen to you this time.” Wen Zhixia’s voice was muffled, her mouth covered by the quilt.

Zhou Buqi reached out and picked up the bra placed by the bed, asking, “What size is this?”

“You!”

Wen Zhixia was both shy and angry, her face flushing red then turning pale. “Zhou Buqi, you’re shameless!”

Zhou Buqi scoffed, his voice eerie. “What? Not cooperating again?”

“36D! Is that enough? Now get out!”

Wen Zhixia yanked the quilt down, revealing a face that was green with anger, letting out a furious roar as if to vent.

Zhou Buqi glanced at her, quite satisfied. He raised his wrist and checked his watch. “I’m giving you one minute to get up and get dressed. If you’re late, I’ll come in and help you dress, got it?”

“Got it, get out! Get out!”

Wen Zhixia urged him impatiently.

By this time, she had calmed down from her fear, feeling that her reaction just now had been overly dramatic. The other party might be a little mischievous, but his basic character was still reliable; he wouldn’t do anything excessive.

Having understood this, her confidence grew, and she dared to shout loudly.

“Hurry up!”

Zhou Buqi warned her again, then whistled, got up, and closed the door tightly for her.

“I’m getting up, you’re not allowed to suddenly open the door and come in!”

“Less nonsense, don’t dawdle!”

Only half a minute passed before the bedroom door was pushed open. Wen Zhixia had already changed into a long-sleeved tracksuit, her hair disheveled, and she walked out, glaring fiercely at Zhou Buqi, who was sitting on the sofa, then entered the bathroom.

“One minute for the bathroom. After one minute, I’ll come in and help you comb your hair.”

“No need!”

“You’ve already delayed five minutes. I don’t have time to dawdle with you!”

Zhou Buqi’s tone turned cold, speaking with undeniable authority.

“You! Hmph!”

Wen Zhixia trembled with anger, wishing she could rush over and kick him a few times.

She entered the bathroom and slammed the door shut with a “bang.”

One minute later, Zhou Buqi came to the bathroom door and knocked. “Are you done in the bathroom? Can I come in?”

There was no response from inside.

Zhou Buqi directly twisted the doorknob.

Wen Zhixia was standing in front of the sink, squeezing out face cleanser, preparing to wash her face.

Zhou Buqi wasn’t annoyed. He simply took a wooden comb and started combing her hair.

Wen Zhixia wanted to refuse but found it hard to speak.

She could only grit her teeth and accept it, washing her face huffily, glaring fiercely at him in the mirror.

Zhou Buqi found it somewhat amusing. He sighed and said softly, “A morning run is so good, breathing in fresh air, starting a new day with vitality.”

“No interest!”

Wen Zhixia’s attitude was very cold.

Zhou Buqi gently combed her hair, his movements very soft, and continued, “Science shows that morning runs can expel waste accumulated overnight, fill your body with high-oxygen blood throughout the day, and secrete hormones that excite your body, keeping you in good spirits all day long…”

“I don’t need that!”

Wen Zhixia wiped her face with a towel, revealing a delicate face as beautiful as a lotus emerging from clear water, her demeanor becoming even more serene and cool.

Only occasionally, when Zhou Buqi smoothed her hair and his hand brushed her cheek and neck, would her heart slightly tremble, her expression subtly change, and her lips instinctively bite together.

“Life is always full of mundane struggles, but some people give up on themselves, while others yearn for poetry and distant places. This isn’t a choice between right and wrong, but an accumulation of life’s details. Is morning running very healthy? Not necessarily, perhaps it’s not even as good as taking a few fish oil capsules. However, the sense of fulfillment from a day full of energy brought by a morning run, the joy of greeting the rising sun, will make one let go of all stress. It’s a simple kind of ease. Don’t you think greeting a new day with a morning run has a great sense of ritual? Every morning run is greeting a new beginning, looking forward to a new world.”

Zhou Buqi felt he had never been so sentimental.

Wen Zhixia heard the underlying concern in his words, her starry eyes welled up, and the annoyance in her heart vanished completely. She felt a little touched.

“Everyone has pressure. I haven’t told you about my family, have I? My pressure is even greater than yours. If my business fails, my family will be ruined. At first, I didn’t want to run either, but after a few times, I grew to love that feeling of shedding all burdens and embracing nature intimately.”

“Mm, I see.”

Wen Zhixia finally spoke, her tone no longer cold, but very soft and gentle.

Zhou Buqi smiled and said nothing more, contentedly combing her hair. After a while, “Where’s the hair tie?”

Wen Zhixia handed him the hair tie, looking at the blush on her cheeks in the mirror. She felt her heart pounding like a startled deer, but she forced herself to calm down, controlling her voice to keep it as steady as possible. “You’re quite good at combing hair. You must have practiced a lot, right?”

Zhou Buqi skillfully tied her hair and smiled, “I have a younger sister. I always used to comb her hair at home.”

“Oh.” Wen Zhixia’s heart settled quite a bit. She couldn’t bear to look directly at her own glistening beautiful eyes in the mirror and quickly lowered her head. “Alright, let’s go.”

They went downstairs to greet the fresh air.

“Where should we run?”

“By the roadside, I guess. It wouldn’t be good if students saw us at school.”

“Mm.”

Wen Zhixia followed Zhou Buqi’s steps and began to jog slowly.

After running for only a short while, her breathing became rapid, her cheeks flushed, and a thin layer of sweat beads appeared on her forehead.

“I can’t anymore, let’s rest.”

“How far have we even run? Not even five hundred meters.”

“I can’t run anymore.”

“Persistence! Persistence is victory!”

After several rounds of encouragement, Wen Zhixia ran for a bit longer, then softly stopped, bending over and clutching her stomach, panting.

Zhou Buqi turned back, “Don’t stop, keep running.”

“I’m not running, I’m exhausted.”

Wen Zhixia shook her head like a rattle-drum.

“Come on, I’ll run with you.” Zhou Buqi extended his hand and pursed his lips. “See that traffic light ahead? We’ll rest when we get there.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Not listening again?”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes widened. He reached out with undeniable resolve, took her fair, tender hand, and half-dragged, half-coaxed her slowly towards the traffic light ahead.

Their running speed was extremely slow, not much faster than walking.

Zhou Buqi held her hand and simply burst into song—

“I laugh here, I cry here;

I live here, and I die here.

I pray here, I am lost here;

I search here, I lose here…”

A segment of the song suddenly sang out Wen Zhixia’s innermost feelings—her family, her struggles, years of being a “Northern drifter” in Beijing. How many times had she forced a smile, how many times had she shed tears silently…

At this moment, she felt a different kind of warmth surging from the hand he held, and a sense of security she had never felt since coming to Beijing years ago.

Chapter 84: No Amount of Prevention Can Stop a Routine

In the porridge shop.

Wen Zhixia glared coldly at Zhou Buqi opposite her. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

Zhou Buqi looked bewildered. “What?”

“You know what!” Wen Zhixia snorted coldly.

Zhou Buqi looked innocent. “What do I know? Are you talking about the morning run? You haven’t run in too long, so you might not be used to it. You’ll get better after a few more days.”

“Was I talking about the morning run?” Wen Zhixia asked, annoyed.

Zhou Buqi was surprised. “Then what do you mean?”

Wen Zhixia couldn’t suppress her anger and almost slammed the table. “Can your routine not be so overwhelming!”

Actually, she had been prepared.

She could see through such a young boy’s intentions at a glance.

After all, she was the school’s recognized goddess Teacher.

If it weren’t for her tight finances, she would never have “lived together” with Zhou Buqi.

For this reason, last night she had written dozens of rules in her notebook, all to guard against Zhou Buqi.

For example, not wearing overly revealing clothes indoors, maintaining a two-meter distance, avoiding eye contact, not giving him opportunities for intimate contact, locking the door tightly when sleeping or going to the bathroom, not giving him too good a look lest he misunderstand, and frequently putting on her Teacher’s demeanor…

All sorts of things.

She was practically armed to the teeth.

However, no amount of prevention could stop Zhou Buqi’s routine.

One morning run shattered all her defenses.

He had played a tactic reminiscent of Germany’s attack on France during World War II: instead of attacking the Maginot Line, he borrowed a path through the Netherlands and Belgium…

It’s enough to make you cry!

At home, Wen Zhixia had taken every precaution.

But Zhou Buqi found another way, pulling her out for a morning run. And now look, how many years had it been since Wen Zhixia last ran? After a short while, she couldn’t run anymore, and he took her hand.

He dragged her along, making her continue to run.

Later, Wen Zhixia’s legs ached, her whole body was weak, and she was almost exhausted, so he put his arm around her waist.

Just now, her soft body was nestled in his arms; she was practically carried into the porridge shop, her entire body pressed against his.

Not to mention when he woke her up, he cornered her naked in the quilt and even teased her by picking up her bra, asking for her size.

He had touched what he shouldn’t have and knew what he shouldn’t have known.

She had truly fallen into his trap!

“Shh! Lower your voice!”

Zhou Buqi quickly made a shushing gesture, warning, “This place isn’t too far from the school. It wouldn’t be good if any students came over and saw us eating breakfast here.”

“You know that?!” Wen Zhixia snapped back irritably, though her voice was much lower.

“Alright, have some porridge and an egg to replenish your energy. You’re just too strong-willed. What if you’re a Teacher? You’re still just a girl, aren’t you?” Zhou Buqi said with concern.

Wen Zhixia snorted, “None of your business?”

Zhou Buqi looked displeased, frowning. “Wen Zhixia, are you perhaps a little too arrogant? Don’t you know who I’m doing this for?”

“You!”

Wen Zhixia was too angry to speak.

What kind of student talks to their Teacher like that?

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, annoyed. “Alright, stop talking nonsense. We’re living together now, so we should tolerate and accommodate each other. What’s the point of always arguing?”

“Why should I accommodate you? Just because you’re the Landlord? Worst case, I’ll move out!” Wen Zhixia said, feeling indignant.

“Don’t say such things in anger again,” Zhou Buqi said indifferently. “Also, it’s not about you accommodating me. Let’s put it this way: you’re older than me and a woman, so it’s more appropriate for you to take care of me in daily life. However, on the larger theme of life, I should be the one taking care of you.”

“No need,” Wen Zhixia scoffed, pursing her lips.

Zhou Buqi then retorted sarcastically, “No need? Wen Zhixia, you really don’t know what’s good for you. With that mess in your family, do you really think you can handle it yourself?”

“I…”

Wen Zhixia immediately lost her ability to retort, her eyes slightly red. She quickly lowered her head to drink her porridge, saying nothing.

Zhou Buqi sighed, speaking softly, “What if you’re a Teacher? In the end, you’re just a girl. Some pressures, you don’t need to bear them alone.”

“You just want to pursue me, don’t you? I won’t agree!” Wen Zhixia suddenly looked up, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He took out a tissue to wipe her tears. She dodged, so he simply sat next to her, one arm possessively around her, the other gently wiping her tears.

“You won’t succeed!”

“What are you talking about? Yes, you’re a beautiful Teacher, and all the male students like you. But we’re at least friends, aren’t we? And now we’re living together. Whether we’re boyfriend and girlfriend or not, don’t I have a responsibility to take care of you?”

“No need.”

Wen Zhixia turned her head away, her voice much lower.

Zhou Buqi patted her shoulder and said, “I’m not that narrow-minded. If we’re suitable, developing something isn’t out of the question. If not, we can just be good friends. Why are you so resistant?”

“Alright, get up!”

Wen Zhixia’s face flushed red. She had been impulsive just now, bringing up the topic directly.

But this guy was incredibly thick-skinned, taking advantage of the situation, which left her a bit flustered.

Only after Zhou Buqi sat back did she breathe a sigh of relief, looking at him with disdain and mockery. “You’ve probably used those sweet words to trick quite a few girls, haven’t you?”

“How could that be? Not a single one!” Zhou Buqi replied righteously.

“Do you think I’m blind?”

“Huh?”

“You’re always hugging and kissing Wu Yu at school every day. Do you think others don’t see it?”

“Cough, cough…”

Zhou Buqi’s old face reddened. “She pursued me. That doesn’t count.”

“I see clearly now. You’re just a Scumbag!”

Wen Zhixia said with great contempt.

Zhou Buqi said earnestly, “Don’t slander me. I’m not a scumbag.”

“Heh!”

Wen Zhixia sneered. “You’re not a scumbag? Then why were you pestering me all morning?”

Zhou Buqi said irritably, “I was trying to help you de-stress and get some exercise! Holy crap, Wen Zhixia, can you stop mistaking good intentions for ill will?”

Wen Zhixia furrowed her delicate brows, feeling uncomfortable being called by her name directly. She said coldly, “You know your own intentions!”

“Nonsense!”

Zhou Buqi was stubborn, refusing to admit anything.

After breakfast, Zhou Buqi went to pay the bill and handed the change to Wen Zhixia. “Take a taxi back.”

“Aren’t you going back?”

“I have something to do. I’m going to Douban Hutong.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve turned on the water heater at home. It’s not even 7 AM yet. After you get back, take a bath before going to work so you’ll have good energy all day. Did you hear me?”

Zhou Buqi’s words warmed Wen Zhixia’s heart.

The reason she disliked morning runs was that she didn’t want to go to school smelling of sweat.

The conditions at home were limited; there was no shower in the bathroom, but a large bathtub instead.

Bathing in a tub was certainly more comfortable than showering, but the downside was that it was troublesome and wasted water.

Basically, one night’s worth of heating was just enough for one bathtub of water.

Last night, Zhou Buqi had taken a bath, so she hadn’t.

She hadn’t expected Zhou Buqi to thoughtfully arrange it for her in the morning, even making up an excuse not to go home to avoid her embarrassment about bathing. This made her feel quite comfortable.

“Mm, thank you.”

After a busy morning, a faint smile finally appeared on Wen Zhixia’s flawless, pretty face.

…

Zhou Buqi and Yang Bo had chatted quite well online.

This was their first time meeting offline.

The meeting place was the coffee shop in Douban Hutong, where Yang Bo usually coded and worked on Douban.com.

Zhou Buqi had a favor to ask.

The Campus Network beta version had launched.

It was completely modeled after Facebook, and many features had even been deleted or simplified.

The result was too many bugs!

Especially, the website would crash every one hour of operation and needed to be restarted.

Currently, it was just a social system. When group buying and ordering systems were added later, who knew how many more problems would arise.

Although Guo Pengfei and the others were capable, they were still university students. Their coding ability was not bad, but in terms of overall architecture and underlying logic, they might be lacking.

Yang Bo was a great expert, a Tsinghua graduate and a Doctor from the US, who had served as a technical consultant for IBM many years ago.

Douban.com was coded by him alone, and for the first few years of the website’s operation, he was the only programmer in the entire company, responsible for all website updates and front-end and back-end maintenance.

If he could get his help, the Campus Network would definitely be fine.

“Campus Network?”

“Yes, it’s a website modeled after Facebook in the US. You know about it, right?”

Yang Bo nodded, looking at him curiously. “Has it launched?”

“It’s still in beta, and there are quite a few problems. I’d like to ask for your help.”

Zhou Buqi’s attitude was very sincere.

Talking about money was useless.

Yang Bo was a high-level talent who had returned from the US, having just resigned from a Chief Technology Officer position at a company. He easily had a net worth of several million.

“I don’t have time,” Yang Bo said, somewhat troubled. In fact, he didn’t think a group of university students could achieve anything significant.

Zhou Buqi then earnestly explained the significance of the Campus Network’s existence.

This was not a website positioned solely for social networking, but a service platform exclusively for university students. In the early stages, it would incorporate some social features to connect students, facilitating the future development of online education, second-hand book sales, group buying, and food ordering sections.

Yang Bo was astonished. “The scope is that large?”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “First, we’ll simply build the framework. We don’t need to consider too many details; just complete the service functions. If we were to optimize everything one by one, it would require a team of hundreds of people.”

“That’s still very difficult.”

Yang Bo had a lot of experience. He closed his Mac laptop and pondered for a long time.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “That’s why we need guidance from seniors like you.”

Yang Bo frowned, undecided. “This would really delay my website development. How about you transfer the domain name to me for free?”

Zhou Buqi laughed heartily. “Brother Yang, how can you take advantage of someone’s difficulties like that?”

Yang Bo also smiled.

Zhou Buqi said, “Currently, the majority of netizens in China are university students. You can imagine that once the Campus Network is established, its traffic will definitely be high. At that time, we can add a hyperlink to Douban.com to drive traffic for you.”

Yang Bo’s eyes gleamed.

Chapter 85: My Lord Zhou Wants to Hit Someone

The two chatted in the coffee shop all morning.

At noon, Yang Bo treated him to a big meal at a private kitchen restaurant in the hutong. They had some wine and chatted until after three in the afternoon.

“Brother Yang, so it’s settled then!”

“Mm, I’ll go take a look tomorrow.”

“Thank you! Thank you!”

“But let’s state unpleasant truths upfront: if your Campus Network is really terrible, I won’t stay.”

“No problem!”

Leaving Douban Hutong, Zhou Buqi was in high spirits.

On the way, he received a call from Chen Dong. “Boss Zhou, I’ve found a business opportunity related to the publishing industry.”

“Oh?” Zhou Buqi was surprised.

Chen Dong said, “All of our universities have their own publishing houses. Every year, the publishing houses have many unsold books returned by distributors. This batch of books is usually sent directly to paper mills to be pulped.”

Zhou Buqi’s eyes lit up instantly, and he immediately understood what Chen Dong meant. “Are there any good books?”

“Too many!” Chen Dong’s voice was excited. “I just came from the university publishing house. It’s almost the end of the year, so there are many returned books in the warehouse waiting to be sent to the paper mill. Among them are academic works like ‘Introduction to Art Studies,’ ‘Principles of Economics,’ and ‘A Global History,’ as well as popular readings like ‘Lu Xun’s Collected Works,’ ‘Fifteen Lectures on Dream of the Red Chamber,’ and ‘Appreciation of Tang and Song Poetry.’”

“What about the price?”

“By weight, two yuan per 500g! It’s even cheaper than pirated books at night market stalls.”

“Heh heh.”

Zhou Buqi sneered twice.

If these were private publishing houses, they definitely wouldn’t dare to do this. So many high-quality books were going to be pulped like waste paper?

There were quite a few people occupying positions without contributing in universities.

However, this gave them an opportunity to make money.

Chen Dong continued on his own, “Boss Zhou, aren’t we going to build a platform to serve university students? In my opinion, books are the most important. Books are the ladder of human progress and the driving force of social civilization, especially important for university students. Our platform must reserve an important section for university students to sell books, selling low-priced, legitimate books!”

“Legitimate books?” Zhou Buqi smiled faintly.

Chen Dong said, “I’ve already earned over seventy thousand from pirated books. I’m definitely going to reach the two hundred thousand target this semester. By then, I’ll end this business and focus on legitimate books.”

Zhou Buqi said, “It seems your goal is quite clear.”

Chen Dong said awkwardly, “My partner, Nuannuan’s mother, also likes this industry.”

Zhou Buqi laughed, “Literary people, of course, like dealing with books. Alright, since you have a goal, go for it! How about this, you go find Senior Sister Zhen Yu later and apply for twenty thousand yuan in funding. Visit all the major university publishing houses and stock up on a batch of good books. It would be too much of a pity to send them to the paper mill.”

After ending the call, Zhou Buqi’s mood improved even more.

It seemed Chen Dong’s initiative had been completely mobilized.

Two yuan per 500g?

Too cheap!

A bestseller priced at twenty yuan would have an ex-factory price of around nine yuan and weigh about 150g.

An academic work priced at seventy yuan would have an ex-factory price of around thirty yuan and weigh about 500g.

Even if sold at fifty percent of the listed price, that would still be a profit of one thousand seven hundred percent!

This was truly an unbeatable market.

If they could monopolize university publishing houses through Campus Network, then even Dangdang wouldn’t be a match in university campuses, right?

Excellent, another vast market discovered.

Back at school, Zhou Buqi called Wen Zhixia again.

“Is something wrong?”

Wen Zhixia’s voice had returned to its usual cool and calm tone, like a goddess teacher.

Zhou Buqi said, “I’m at the West Gate. Come out.”

“What for?”

“Something important.”

“I haven’t finished work yet.”

“Stop lying! University teachers don’t have to clock in. Come quickly! Don’t be dawdling!”

On the other end of the phone, after a long silence, Wen Zhixia softly hummed in acknowledgment.

Five minutes later, Wen Zhixia appeared at the West Gate.

She was wearing an apricot-yellow short wool coat, gray polyester trousers, and a pair of small, low-heeled black leather shoes. A pure white scarf was wrapped around her neck, complementing her dark, bright eyes and hair, reminding one of the feathers on a swallow’s breast.

Zhou Buqi smiled; this outfit truly had a distinctive style of the era.

Wen Zhixia gave him an annoyed look. “What do you want?”

“To go shopping.”

“Huh? If you want to go shopping, find Wu Yu. Why me?”

“We’re going to buy running shoes and sportswear, what are you thinking?” Zhou Buqi said impatiently.

“I’m not going.”

“Hm?”

Zhou Buqi glared. “Do you want me to drag you? This is school; it wouldn’t look good if we were pulling and tugging.”

Wen Zhixia gritted her teeth and said fiercely, “Fine, if you want to go, you pay!”

Zhou Buqi said, “Of course, I’m buying for you.”

Wen Zhixia felt a bit dizzy.

In front of this wealthy student, “threatening” him with money didn’t seem to work very well.

The two got into a taxi and went to Xidan.

They bought two pairs of running shoes, spending over eight hundred yuan, which made Wen Zhixia’s heart ache. She kept saying she wouldn’t buy anymore.

“It’s fine, let’s go buy two sets of sportswear.”

Zhou Buqi tried to take her hand, but she cautiously dodged him, glaring angrily. “What are you doing?”

“Are you too sensitive?”

“You have ulterior motives.”

“You really are… like a dog biting Lu Dongbin.”

“You’re the dog!”

“Forget it, I’m not arguing with you.”

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, a headache coming on, and led her to an Adidas store, where they picked out two sets of sportswear.

One black, one red, just like couple’s outfits.

Leaving the Adidas store, Wen Zhixia felt quite apologetic.

Having spent almost two thousand yuan, she felt a bit embarrassed. “Alright, let’s go back.”

“No rush.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head, carrying the bags, and continued to browse.

“What else are you buying?”

“Follow me.”

After walking for ten minutes, they came across a Triumph lingerie store. Outside, there was a large promotional photo of a model in sexy lingerie, about five or six meters tall, which was quite striking.

“Let’s buy you a set of lingerie.”

“What?”

Wen Zhixia was stunned, then her face flushed red. She refused, both shy and indignant. “Are you sick? I don’t want it!”

Zhou Buqi said impatiently, “Can you stop thinking so dirtily?”

“Who’s thinking dirtily?” Wen Zhixia got angry, ready to argue again.

Zhou Buqi said, “We’re going to run every day from now on. The bras you usually wear aren’t suitable. When exercising, you must wear a sports bra.”

“You don’t need to buy it either.” Wen Zhixia’s face was crimson, as if water could drip from it.

Zhou Buqi said, “Didn’t we agree that I’d pay? Come on, we’re both adults, what’s there to be embarrassed about? The salesclerks are already laughing at us. Let’s go.”

With that, he pulled her into the store without question.

The young female salesclerk used eloquent speech, saying a lot of nice things, how gentlemanly Zhou Buqi was, how beautiful Wen Zhixia was, and how they were a match made in heaven, and so on.

Wen Zhixia felt even more ashamed and indignant.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi sat on a long bench in the store and didn’t overly participate in the selection, which spared her some embarrassment.

With the salesclerk’s recommendations and her careful selection, they finally picked two sports bras she liked and wanted to try on.

Zhou Buqi moved like a startled rabbit and went into the fitting room with Wen Zhixia.

The female salesclerk paused, then quickly stopped, her eyes playful, looking at him with a faint smile.

Wen Zhixia was so ashamed she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. She lowered her voice and cursed him, “I’m trying on clothes, what are you doing here? Are you a pervert?”

“Idiot!”

Zhou Buqi glared at her, rushed into the fitting room, and meticulously checked everywhere. “I’m helping you check for cameras. Do you want to be secretly filmed?”

Wen Zhixia’s face was burning, but she retorted, “You’re just being petty.”

He checked around, and indeed, there were none.

Zhou Buqi then exited, but suddenly turned back, smiling. “I’ll be right outside the door, guarding you. If you’re unsure and need my advice, just call me in.”

“Go to hell!”

Wen Zhixia, blushing, spat.

Interacting with girls was like this: be proper when it’s time to be proper, be playful when it’s time to be playful, be gentle when it’s time to be gentle, be domineering when it’s time to be domineering… By making her emotions rollercoaster, she would become unable to resist.

It was true for Wu Yu, and Wen Zhixia was no exception.

Leaving the lingerie store, Zhou Buqi took her hand, their fingers intertwined.

“Don’t do that.”

Wen Zhixia blushed and tried to refuse. In reality, Zhou Buqi wasn’t holding her tightly at all; she could pull her hand away anytime she wanted.

“It’s fine, it’s quite far from school here, no one knows us.”

Zhou Buqi casually reassured her.

Wen Zhixia bit her lip, feeling both shy and angry.

Is that what I meant?

Zhou Buqi cleverly changed the subject again. “It’s getting dark, what do you want to eat?”

“Whatever!”

Wen Zhixia said sulkily.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Didn’t we agree? Small matters are up to you, big matters are up to me. Tell me, what do you want to eat? Pick something expensive, it’s fine.”

“Mm-hmm, I know you, My Lord Zhou, are rich, alright?” Wen Zhixia pouted, mocking him with disdain.

Zhou Buqi puffed out his chest proudly. “Of course, being rich makes you the boss!”

“You’re incorrigible!”

Wen Zhixia snorted. Seeing a Japanese restaurant ahead, where the prices were surely not low, she gritted her teeth and said, “Fine, since you, My Lord Zhou, are rich, let’s eat Japanese food! I’ll bleed you dry!”

“No problem!”

Zhou Buqi responded generously. Just then, there was a general store nearby with many rosewood canes displayed outside. He went up to chat and bargain, spending over two hundred yuan to buy one.

Wen Zhixia was surprised. “Why are you buying a cane?”

“To hit people.”

“Ah? You’re going to fight? You have some status now, how can you fight like others…”

“What are you thinking?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and said seriously, “I’m dating someone, Wu Yu, you know her. She’s usually very disobedient and argues with me. I’m buying a cane, if she argues with me again, I’ll beat her.”

“You, you…”

Wen Zhixia’s face was like a large red cloth, too angry to speak.

She understood the implication in his words.

Who was he talking about?

It was her, Wen Zhixia!

Chapter 86: Broad Vision

Yang Bo was indeed a master; in just one morning, he pointed out dozens of vulnerabilities in Campus Network.

This left Guo Pengfei’s technical team feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

However, Yang Bo still offered praise at the end: “For you students to have achieved this much is already quite impressive. Aside from some issues with the framework structure, the code language is very mature.”

Campus Network successfully piqued his interest. He even stated that he would find a hotel nearby and stay for seven days to thoroughly resolve Campus Network’s issues and push for the website’s launch.

Tech experts often have strange thought processes, and Yang Bo was no exception.

When noon arrived, he was still engrossed in the code, unwilling to waste time eating. He said he’d just have someone bring food back and make do with a quick bite.

So Zhou Buqi went with Guo Pengfei to the Dining Hall to get food.

“Holy cow, you’re amazing! You can even find a master like him?” Guo Pengfei exclaimed, his face full of excitement.

Zhou Buqi curled his lip. “You’re just realizing that now?”

“Brother Yang is incredible!” Guo Pengfei exclaimed, thoroughly convinced.

Zhou Buqi said, “Of course he’s incredible. He graduated from Tsinghua University, got his Doctor degree in the US, and even served as a senior executive at IBM. His technical skill is absolutely top-notch.”

“Yes, he’s even more impressive than our department’s doctoral supervisors.”

“So, take this opportunity to communicate with him more. This is a rare learning opportunity.”

“I want to, but…” Guo Pengfei looked a bit troubled.

Zhou Buqi asked, surprised, “What’s wrong?”

Guo Pengfei gritted his teeth. “Someone’s poaching my staff!”

“Huh?”

“Sister Liu… she’s the full-time Assistant Store Manager of the milk tea shop, and she’s leaving.”

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi immediately recalled what Wen Zhixia had mentioned to him that day.

“Someone’s opening a milk tea shop near the North Gate and poaching people.”

“Can they really poach them?”

“They offered a salary of three thousand yuan!”

The store manager and full-time Assistant Store Manager at Yuanwei milk tea shop earn two thousand yuan. The other party directly increased it by fifty percent, which is indeed a significant offer.

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes. “This is them trying to cause trouble for us, harming others without benefiting themselves. Is it those people from the university’s student union?”

“Yes, Lü Hua and Li Hongrui.” Guo Pengfei paused. “Those people from the student union are also involved, and Xu Jianing even invested. They’re taking over a shop near the North Gate, that pastry shop. The price is said to have exceeded one hundred thousand yuan.”

“Heh heh.”

Zhou Buqi scoffed, utterly disdainful.

A bunch of rabble!

Just because I can make money running a milk tea shop, you think it’s easy to make money from them?

Sixty percent of milk tea shops don’t last more than three months!

Eighty percent don’t last more than half a year!

However, he felt a certain degree of disappointment.

He thought he and Xu Jianing were friends, but he didn’t expect her to still be hanging out with Lü Hua and Li Hongrui. She was beyond saving.

Guo Pengfei was furious. “This university’s student union is too bullying. Not only do they repeatedly come looking for trouble, but they also want to open a milk tea shop just like ours. They’re treating us like a thorn in their side.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm. “It’s a market economy, free competition.”

“Hmm?”

Guo Pengfei turned to look at him, finding it strange. This wasn’t like his usual personality.

Zhou Buqi chuckled. “What do you want to do?”

Guo Pengfei said, “You should go to Principal Hu! The university’s student union is targeting you so much. Just say something, and Lü Hua and Li Hongrui can be directly dismissed. Without the backing of the university’s student union, what do they have to fight us with?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “You, your integrity is still too narrow. Didn’t Brother Yang just say that Campus Network has so many bugs because your integrity was too narrow, and the framework was set too restrictively?”

“What do you mean?”

Guo Pengfei was a tech geek and didn’t have a deep understanding of such complex interpersonal relationships.

Zhou Buqi said, “If I went to Principal Hu over such a small matter, what would he think? If I can’t even handle the university’s student union and Lü Hua, how high can my capabilities be? At most, I’d be at Lü Hua’s level. This would significantly lower my impression score in the eyes of the school leaders.”

“Uh…”

“We’re still in the initial stage. What we rely on is the school’s high expectations for us. It’s like a listed company with a super high price-to-earnings ratio; it’s a bet on the future. If we’re equated with Lü Hua, will the school still give us their strongest support?”

Guo Pengfei scratched his head, understanding a little. “So you mean we shouldn’t stoop to their level, it’s undignified?”

“Something like that.” Zhou Buqi smiled.

“So we just let them target us like this?”

“You, your integrity is still not broad enough. Alibaba launched a product last year called Alipay. Some leaders in the banking industry commented, saying Alipay has no offline branches, so where would you withdraw money? Isn’t that nonsense? But they didn’t know that future transactions might not require cash. The emergence of a cashless society is a dimension-reducing strike against the banking industry.”

“Huh? What dimension-reducing?”

These words were too advanced; Guo Pengfei found them hard to understand.

Zhou Buqi explained with a smile, “Guan Yu and Lü Bu fought for eight hundred rounds, battling until the sky and earth blurred. At that moment, you pull out a pistol and step onto the field. Bang bang two shots, and you effortlessly take down two of the mightiest generals of the Three Kingdoms period. That’s a dimension-reducing strike.”

By this time, the two had arrived at the Dining Hall. Zhou Buqi went to get food while Guo Pengfei sat, silently pondering and replaying the words in his mind.

When Zhou Buqi returned with the food, Guo Pengfei’s eyes widened as he eagerly said, “You mean we need to stand on a higher dimension. We shouldn’t fight Lü Hua and them with a Fangtian Huaji against a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, where all our martial prowess just makes us reckless fools. We need to strive to find that pistol. That’s integrity.”

“Caught on?”

Zhou Buqi smiled and patted his shoulder. “I’ve already found the ladder to enter a higher dimension. Once it’s done, let alone a mere student union, even… heh heh. By then, we won’t even need to show our faces; people will naturally eliminate Lü Hua to curry favor with us.”

Guo Pengfei nodded, sighing deeply. “It’s just that I’m unwilling to accept it. We’ve been suppressed by those guys all this time. If we don’t fight back, they’ll think we’re afraid of them.”

The two carried their packed meals and returned to the Student Activity Center.

On the way, Zhou Buqi said, “Our milk tea shop’s performance is good, but the reason it can’t compare to the Beijing Institute of Technology store and the Beijing Foreign Studies University store is because of a problematic location; it’s in a teaching building. The pastry shop at the North Gate is up for transfer, isn’t it? We can compete with them for it. The highest bidder wins.”

“Huh?”

Guo Pengfei was stunned. Competing with the other party for the shop, was this considered a counterattack?

But this counterattack seemed too reckless, didn’t it?

That pastry shop has a monthly revenue of twenty to thirty thousand yuan. To take it over, the price definitely wouldn’t be low.

Lü Hua and their group’s bid had already exceeded one hundred thousand yuan, and it looked like they would continue to raise the price.

Was it appropriate to rush in at this moment?

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Don’t worry, I know the owner of that shop.”

Guo Pengfei said, delighted, “Can you get the shop at a low price?”

Zhou Buqi said, annoyed, “What are you talking about? The price, of course, the higher the better! The cost of opening a new shop is only twenty thousand yuan. If you end up spending one hundred to two hundred thousand yuan to take over a shop, does that fit the overall plan for the milk tea shop? Aren’t you afraid of being scolded to death by Liu Wenbo?”

Guo Pengfei’s eyes flickered, and he instantly understood, laughing heartily. “You want to raise the sedan chair for them, I see! We have the best supply chain management; the cost of one cup of milk tea is one point one yuan. If they also make fresh fruit milk tea, the cost per cup would be at least two yuan. With a store manager’s salary of three thousand yuan, plus hiring a few part-timers, the monthly payroll alone would be nearly five thousand yuan. Add utilities and rent, how many cups of milk tea would they have to sell to break even? At least four thousand cups! Dream on!”

It was already mid-November, and the milk tea industry had officially entered its off-season.

The Beike store and Beijing Institute of Technology store were still doing okay. One was in a teaching building, the other in the Library, so they weren’t greatly affected by the outside temperature; sales only dropped by about thirty percent.

The Beijing Foreign Studies University store and Tsinghua store were miserable; sales plummeted by over seventy percent.

In this cold winter, no one wanted to walk around holding a cup of milk tea.

This situation would continue until April of next year before the peak season returned.

In other words, Lü Hua and Li Hongrui, full of anticipation, would enter the milk tea industry only to be met with a bucket of cold water. Forget making money; breaking even would be a good outcome.

If their expenses for renting and taking over the shop were too high, and they didn’t see profits for a long time, how immense would the pressure be?

They probably wouldn’t even last until the milk tea industry’s peak season arrived before having to close down.

Guo Pengfei’s mood brightened instantly.

Excellent!

When it came to cunning schemes and ruthlessness, who could be Zhou Buqi’s match?

Lü Hua?

Li Hongrui?

Even together, they were just two simpletons!

…

Evening.

“Zhou, my lord, dinner’s ready.”

Ever since that day Zhou Buqi acted like a nouveau riche, Wen Zhixia had privately called him that, her tone often containing disdain and mockery.

Zhou Buqi, however, found it Sweet as Honey to hear, feeling quite comfortable, and truly sat there like a great lord.

Wen Zhixia placed the bowl of white rice in front of him and asked curiously, “You want to take over my shop?”

“You mean the pastry shop at the North Gate?”

“Mm.”

“Just helping you raise the price.”

“Raise the price?”

“They want to open a milk tea shop to compete with me, and you’re my confidante, so of course it’s about suppressing the opponent while helping a friend.”

Wen Zhixia’s beautiful eyes widened. “Who’s your confidante?”

“My kindred spirit, isn’t that right?” Zhou Buqi asked, looking innocent.

“No!”

Wen Zhixia’s face turned cold, and she snorted.

“You, you just love putting on that Teacher’s air, it’s really boring.” Zhou Buqi shook his head helplessly, thought for a moment, then asked, “Oh, right, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

“Go on.”

“It’s the weekend, so I’m bringing Wu Yu to stay over tonight, is that okay?”

Wen Zhixia glanced at him, frowning slightly. “Aren’t you afraid she’ll misunderstand?”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “It’s fine, she’s simple-minded and naive; she won’t understand these things.”

“Only you’re smart!” Wen Zhixia pouted.

“So, is it okay or not?”

“It’s your apartment, can I say no?” Wen Zhixia snorted, not being affected. “It’s a double bed anyway, let her stay with me. I don’t mind.”

“Stay with you?” Zhou Buqi froze.

Wen Zhixia also looked suspicious. “Then where would she sleep? She can’t sleep on the sofa, can she?”

Zhou Buqi felt dizzy and bewildered, looking at her as if she were an idiot. “Of course, she’s staying with me.”

“You two…” Wen Zhixia’s beautiful eyes widened to their fullest, as if she had discovered something earth-shattering. She covered her mouth and gasped, “You two are living together?”

At that moment, she finally understood what Zhou Buqi meant by bringing Wu Yu to stay over.

Chapter 87: The Big Fish

As the Chairman of the university’s student union, Lü Hua had his own office.

A solid wood desk, a leather swivel chair, and a sofa were his exclusive domain, symbolizing power and status.

However, at this moment, Lü Hua’s face was ashen.

The student union members sitting on the sofas on either side also exchanged glances.

“He did it on purpose! I think he did it on purpose!”

Li Hongrui slammed the sofa, venting his fury.

Xu Jianing, who had always looked down on him, curled her lips and said, “It’s free competition, the highest bidder wins. Is he wrong?”

Li Hongrui also detested this bitch Xu, and suppressing his anger, he said, “Xu Jianing, don’t forget, you also invested in our milk tea shop. Are you siding with outsiders?”

Xu Jianing’s expression was calm. “I’m just discussing the matter at hand.”

“Hmph!”

Li Hongrui sneered twice.

Lü Hua frowned and shot him a displeased look. “Enough! This isn’t the time to argue. We need to find a solution! Their offer is already one hundred fifty thousand. What should we do?”

“Of course, we raise the price!”

Li Hongrui’s family was very wealthy, so he naturally didn’t care, and answered very decisively.

But the other ministers of the student union all looked troubled.

Including Lü Hua.

Their family backgrounds weren’t as good, and even if their families had money, they wouldn’t have the face to ask for it. They were already university students; how thick-skinned would they have to be to keep asking their families for large sums of money?

Li Hongrui wasn’t completely foolish; realizing his slip of the tongue, he quickly said, “Senior, we must get this shop. The franchisees are already set. The franchise fee is thirty thousand yuan, and we’ve already paid ten thousand yuan just for the deposit.”

Lü Hua pondered, “The milk tea shop definitely needs to open, but can we consider the location…?”

The transfer price for the shop at the North Gate was too high, so high that he could barely afford it.

For this milk tea shop, they anticipated an investment of two hundred thousand yuan.

Of this, Li Hongrui invested one hundred thousand yuan, holding a forty percent stake; Lü Hua invested eighty thousand yuan, also holding a forty percent stake; and everyone else combined invested only twenty thousand yuan, holding a twenty percent stake.

If the shop transfer fee was too high, the two hundred thousand yuan investment would certainly not be enough.

In his years at university, Lü Hua had specialized in unscrupulous businesses and had earned over one hundred thousand yuan in total.

Now, he only had over ten thousand yuan left, which he used for living expenses.

If he had to inject more capital, Li Hongrui would become the largest shareholder of the milk tea shop, possibly even the controlling shareholder, which was unacceptable to Lü Hua.

Li Hongrui eagerly said, “Senior, don’t back out now! How good is that shop at the North Gate? It’s the area with the highest foot traffic in our university. Didn’t you say that since we’re the university’s student union, we either don’t do something, or if we do, we do it best, completely crushing Zhou Buqi’s small shabby shop? If we change locations, what if our performance isn’t impressive? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”

Lü Hua remained silent, pondering, unable to make up his mind.

Li Hongrui continued, “Don’t be afraid of a larger initial investment; the key is making money. Didn’t Store Manager Liu, whom we poached from there, say that last month they sold nearly ten thousand cups of milk tea and earned tens of thousands? This is still the off-season for sales; when the peak season comes, won’t we make a huge profit?”

Someone else said, “Yes, making money is certain. I asked around, and Yuanwei Milk Tea Shop is incredible now. They recently opened three new branches at Renmin University, Minzu University of China, and Normal University. Their expansion momentum is very strong. If they weren’t making money, why would they be expanding so rapidly?”

“Exactly, that’s the point.”

Li Hongrui was very excited, agreeing repeatedly.

He was a bit obsessed now.

Ever since Wu Yu was poached by Zhou Buqi, he harbored resentment.

Furthermore, their two families had many interactions in Spring City, and the third generation was often compared. He really didn’t want to lose face for the Old Li family and be outdone by the Old Zhou family.

He wanted to use the university’s student union platform to thoroughly suppress Zhou Buqi.

The milk tea shop was an opportunity.

With the Chairman of the university’s student union, three vice-chairmen, and three ministers all investing, and so many resources combined, how could the milk tea shop not be popular?

Lü Hua was a little flustered; after all, he had never experienced such a large investment. He asked, “How much should we offer?”

“One hundred sixty thousand!”

“What if they keep raising the price?”

“We’ll raise it too! Don’t worry, they’re expanding so aggressively right now, how could they have so much money to compete with us? We’ll definitely secure the shop within two hundred thousand!”

Li Hongrui spoke with such confidence that Lü Hua couldn’t help but twitch his lips, wishing he could rush over and kick him a couple of times.

Easy for him to say!

Where would the money come from?

“Easy for you to say! Acquiring a shop alone will cost two hundred thousand, so how much will the total investment be to open a milk tea shop?” Lü Hua was fuming.

Franchise fee thirty thousand, equipment cost thirty thousand, renovation cost ten thousand…

Not to mention other miscellaneous expenses, these basic investments alone would amount to two hundred seventy thousand yuan!

Could an ordinary university student afford this?

Li Hongrui, however, had no concept of money, and shamelessly declared, “Hmm, it seems that two hundred thousand yuan won’t be enough for the investment. How about we add a bit more? Three hundred thousand yuan should definitely be enough.”

Lü Hua nearly spat blood.

The other minor shareholders, however, were relatively calm. As Lü Hua’s subordinates in the student union, they held very few shares and found it difficult to participate in the major decision-making of the milk tea shop.

But Lü Hua was different; he still wanted to keep the milk tea shop under his control.

“It’s fine, regarding the funds, I can contribute…”

“You have a lot of money?”

Lü Hua interrupted Li Hongrui, looking at him grimly.

Li Hongrui smiled smugly, “It’s alright.”

Lü Hua said blandly, “Alright then, three hundred thousand it is. It’s settled. We’ll each contribute fifty thousand!”

“No problem!”

Li Hongrui excitedly clapped his hands, pleasantly surprised that he had made the final decision.

“However, you’ll have to advance my fifty thousand for me. I’ll pay you back once the milk tea shop becomes profitable.”

At this point, Lü Hua was also shameless, directly putting on the airs of the Chairman of the university’s student union and forcefully pressuring him.

“Cough…”

Xu Jianing couldn’t hold it in and almost burst out laughing.

Li Hongrui’s face contorted a few times, and he forced out a smile uglier than crying. “Alright, alright, no problem.”

…

In the end, Zhou Buqi couldn’t convince Wen Zhixia and ended up taking Wu Yu to a hotel room.

This was not surprising.

Teacher Wen was still an unmarried woman; how could she allow other young couples to be intimate right under her nose?

After a period of tender intimacy, it was past ten in the evening.

Zhou Buqi opened his laptop as usual.

This had become his daily routine; every evening, he would check his emails and conduct his domain name business.

Sure enough, he found a new email today.

From Silicon Valley!

It was written in two languages: one was English, and the other was… Traditional Chinese characters.

The domain name they wanted to purchase was YouTube!

Zhou Buqi’s spirits immediately soared.

“Husband, Li Hongrui keeps bothering me.” Wu Yu, who was lying in the quilt like a kitten, pouted coquettishly, actually wanting to cuddle in Zhou Buqi’s arms for a little longer.

“Li Hongrui? Heh heh, don’t worry, he won’t be able to cause trouble much longer.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t even turn his head, concentrating on reading the email.

There was no mistake; the other party was indeed the YouTube startup team.

This time, he didn’t plan to sell the domain name easily.

He’d rather miss the opportunity!

Unlike the previous domain names, YouTube was a truly big fish. If handled well, it would become Zhou Buqi’s most crucial source of funding in the early stages of his venture.

It was November 2004. Two years later, YouTube would be acquired by Google for the astronomical price of one point six five billion US dollars.

He only needed two years to cash out. This was simply a tailor-made investment project for Zhou Buqi!

That’s right, he wanted to invest, to buy shares!

The other party certainly wouldn’t agree.

But it didn’t matter; they would just have to tough it out with negotiations.

YouTube’s founding team was heavily indebted, fighting with pure passion.

They lacked funds, but Zhou Buqi had them!

They needed a domain name, and Zhou Buqi had that too!

This time, Zhou Buqi was determined to try and invest, no matter what.

Even if the deal completely failed and the other party changed the name to a domain like Metube or YouTube1, he wouldn’t regret it.

It was daytime in America, and after he sent the email, he quickly received a reply.

Sure enough, the other party rejected the request for investment, stating they only wanted to pay five thousand US dollars to purchase the youtube.com domain name.

Zhou Buqi immediately laughed in exasperation.

The first round of negotiations was declared broken.

He would tough it out!

Zhou Buqi ignored the other party, but then saw Wen Zhixia was online on MSN Messenger, so he sent a message: “Get some rest early. We’ll go for a run tomorrow morning.”

JuliaWen: “Are you at a hotel?”

Zhou Buqi: “Yes.”

JuliaWen: “You’re at a hotel, and you still have the mind to go online?”

Zhou Buqi: “Wu Yu and I just finished our business, so I’m checking emails online.”

JuliaWen: “Get lost! Stop being a pervert!”

Zhou Buqi: “You asked.”

JuliaWen: “Are we still running tomorrow?”

Zhou Buqi: “Yes, I’ll pick you up from home tomorrow morning.”

JuliaWen: “What about Wu Yu?”

Zhou Buqi: “She’s too tired, and I’m too strong. She’ll have to sleep in tomorrow morning.”

JuliaWen: “Shameless!”

Zhou Buqi: “What kind of talk is that? Go find my crutch and get it ready; I’ll need it when I get home tomorrow morning.”

JuliaWen: “I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to sleep, disgusting!”

Zhou Buqi: “Mm, go to sleep quickly, and remember to lock the door. I’ll be back at six tomorrow morning, no oversleeping allowed.”

JuliaWen: “Got it, my lord Zhou.”

Zhou Buqi: “Goodnight.”

JuliaWen: “Goodnight.”

After ending the conversation, Zhou Buqi’s lips curved into a slight smile, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

His interactions with Teacher Wen were truly becoming more harmonious.

He closed his laptop, got into bed, and embraced Wu Yu, whispering to her, “You don’t need to bother with Li Hongrui. He’s such a good-for-nothing, I can’t even be bothered with him. Just watch, I won’t even need to lift a finger; he’ll court disaster all by himself.”

Wu Yu hummed in acknowledgment, then looked up and said, “Husband, Senior Sister Shi asked to meet you. Are you going?”

“Who?”

“Senior Sister Shi, Shi Jinglin, the one you asked me to arrange a meeting with for you.”

“You actually arranged it?”

“We chatted quite well online.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Why would I meet her? I’ve never even met her. If you want to meet her, you go. I don’t have time.”

Wu Yu sat up abruptly, then realized she had accidentally exposed herself and quickly burrowed back into the quilt, blushing as she said, “Husband, didn’t you say you wanted me to help you pursue her? I finally managed to…”

“You’re really foolish.” Zhou Buqi was speechless and helpless. “Back then, I wanted to pursue you, but I couldn’t find a suitable way, so I used that method to get your attention, understand?”

“Huh?”

Wu Yu was first greatly embarrassed, then greatly delighted. “You were pursuing me back then? I… I thought I was pursuing you.”

Zhou Buqi curled his lips, secretly amused.

This girl was truly naive.

“You were the high school campus belle; which guy wouldn’t like you?”

“So, you mean from the first day you saw me at the university, you wanted to pursue me?” Wu Yu’s beautiful eyes sparkled, looking very happy.

Zhou Buqi gave a noncommittal laugh. “Not exactly. When I first saw you, I thought you were a seductive slut, and I just wanted to lure you to a hotel for some casual fun. Later, I didn’t expect you to be quite pure, barely good enough for me.”

Wu Yu finally understood, suddenly realizing, “So that’s how it was! I was wondering why you dragged me to a hotel the first time we met…”

“Alright, enough talk, let’s sleep.”

“Sleeping now? What time is it?”

“Eleven o’clock.”

“Do you mean it?”

“Do it… hmm? Let’s do it.”

Chapter 88: Keeping One’s Distance

Some people, it would be an affront to natural justice if they didn’t succeed.

For example, Yang Bo.

Such a top-tier IT talent, with a net worth of several million, was swayed by Zhou Buqi and now spends over fifteen hours a day in the R&D lab!

He arrived disheveled and unkempt in the morning, and returned late at night, working from dawn till dusk.

His burning drive deeply infected every student in the R&D team; everyone worked like mad.

Even the young beauty Guan Ting felt the same way, cleaning, running errands to buy coffee, Red Bull, vitamins, Jianlibao…

Soon, the promised seven days were up.

Zhou Buqi went to see him off, truly wishing he could stay.

“Brother Yang, you’ve worked hard these past few days. Honestly, your dedication is truly admirable.”

“Just setting an example for you all. Those university students under you are very diligent, but it’s not enough. To succeed in a startup, effort isn’t enough; you have to work your heart out. Especially you, I barely see you all day. How can you lead a team?”

Zhou Buqi looked a bit sheepish and sighed, “Brother Yang, I’m busy.”

“Busy?”

Yang Bo deeply disagreed. “What could be more important than the website launch? I’ve heard you’re managing several ventures. Why are you doing this? Campus Network has such great potential, why can’t you focus?”

Zhou Buqi said bitterly, “Brother Yang, I need to make money. You know the expenses of building a website; without sufficient financial support, it will fail sooner or later.”

Yang Bo frowned. “As long as the website is good, why worry about not finding money?”

Zhou Buqi shook his head and said calmly, “Brother Yang, I’m different from you. I’m still a student, I don’t have experience studying in the US, nor do I have capital connections. Even if the website takes off, who would dare to invest in me?”

In its previous life, Campus Network was started by Wang Xing and a few university students, under conditions not much better than Zhou Buqi’s.

It did very well in the early stages, with user numbers skyrocketing.

However, due to a lack of funds to increase servers and bandwidth, Campus Network was forced to be sold off as a whole package.

After Campus Network was acquired by Oak Pacific Interactive, it immediately gained the favor of SoftBank, raising 430 million US dollars and taking off powerfully.

This is the importance of capital confidence in a startup team.

Wang Xing even returned from the US, starting a business with a few university and high school classmates, yet they weren’t favored by capital. How much better could Zhou Buqi fare?

Yang Bo’s eyes widened, feeling that this young man had incredibly long-term vision. “So you need to raise funds yourself? Start other profitable projects to sustain the website’s operations?”

Zhou Buqi said, “The situation in China is different from the US. Students are ignored by investors. My funding sources are either university industry funds or earning it myself.”

Yang Bo took a deep breath, realizing he had still underestimated this young man. “Can I ask a few questions about Campus Network?”

“Of course.”

“Do you have a concrete plan? I mean for the next three to five years.”

“Yes.”

“Is it convenient to share?”

“Nothing inconvenient about it.”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “You must already know the initial situation: using campus social networking to drive traffic and promote Campus Network to universities. Then, we’ll launch services like meal ordering, group purchasing for university students, low-priced book sales, and part-time job agencies. As I said, Campus Network’s essence is a platform that serves university students.”

“And long-term?”

“Online social networking.”

Yang Bo’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Zhou Buqi said, “Facebook’s model aligns with the general trend of the internet, and it will definitely work. Limiting ourselves to campuses isn’t enough; we must expand to the entire society.”

Yang Bo frowned. “But the name ‘Campus Network’ is inaccurately positioned.”

Zhou Buqi laughed. “Of course, it won’t be Campus Network. It will be another website.”

“How will you drive traffic?”

“Forced redirection.”

“Ah?”

“As I said, Campus Network is a platform specifically for university students; it doesn’t have a social attribute. Within one year, I will definitely launch a new website, migrate all user data, and force users logging into Campus Network to redirect to the new website. On the new website, there will be a Campus Network section.”

Yang Bo, being an expert, stared at him. “Such a forced migration method will definitely cause user discomfort. Unless online social networking truly is the general trend, as you say.”

“It definitely is.” Zhou Buqi’s answer was confident. “Moreover, I also have ways to retain users, for example… cooperating with your Douban.com to add movie reviews, or creating a web game that becomes a nationwide craze.”

Yang Bo immediately laughed, finding the young man too boastful and full of hot air.

A nationwide craze?

How could it be that easy?

Zhou Buqi saw him shaking his head and chuckling, but wasn’t annoyed. He said calmly, “Facebook has just started, and China hasn’t reacted yet. Just watch, next year, a batch of Facebook-imitating websites will appear in China. I’m using Campus Network to plan ahead and seize the initiative. When they all react next year and start laying out campus social networking, I’ll have already moved beyond the campus, promoting nationwide social networking with the new website.”

“Always staying one step ahead, that’s a good strategy.”

Yang Bo smiled, his tone still deeply unconvinced.

How could starting a business be that simple?

Things always change more than planned.

Zhou Buqi looked at him with a half-smile. “Brother Yang, how about we make a bet?”

“Bet what?”

“If everything I just said comes true, you come and help me.”

“You want me to work for you?”

Yang Bo found it both funny and absurd, feeling like he’d heard a big joke.

He wasn’t even willing to work for IBM, would he work for a freshman?

Zhou Buqi shook his head. “Not working for me, but partnering up to start a business. Brother Yang, honestly, your website doesn’t have much potential. Using movie reviews to build a small circle, how much room for development can there be? I know you’re a movie fan, but you’re not an entertainment professional.”

“Let’s see when it’s done,” Yang Bo waved his hand, having high ambitions.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Alright, we’ll talk about it later. Oh, when can Campus Network go online?”

“Definitely this month.” Yang Bo waved his hand. “The website framework is already done. Even if we add some shopping or meal ordering systems later, there won’t be any bugs on the main page, at most some minor issues on individual pages.”

“Alright, then thank you very much, Brother Yang.”

“What about my domain name?”

“No rush, we’ll talk about it, haha. We’ll discuss it when your website is officially launching.”

Since the other party was keeping his distance, Zhou Buqi wouldn’t humbly curry favor. It was better to keep it strictly business.

Back at the Student Activity Center, Zhou Buqi delivered an important speech.

He told them that it’s better to rely on oneself than on others!

For Campus Network to succeed, everyone must work even harder!

Yang Bo is already so successful and still works so hard. What reason do we, poor university students starting from scratch, have not to strive even harder?

Afterward, he spoke privately with Guo Pengfei, telling him that the R&D department needed to continue recruiting people.

Guo Pengfei was in a difficult position. “Boss, we’re university students. Do you think just anyone can build a website? Those who are capable and willing to come have already been recruited.”

Zhou Buqi said, “Then go to Beijing Institute of Technology! Ask Liu Wenbo for help and set up a second R&D team there, recruit ten people, give them one month to develop the meal ordering system, and you coordinate it well.”

“Running between two places, I wouldn’t be able to handle it, and there’s the milk tea shop…”

“I’ll personally oversee the milk tea shop!”

It was already the off-season, so it wouldn’t require too much of Zhou Buqi’s management energy.

Then, he went to the milk tea shop to check the daily cup consumption and sales volume, and to verify the accounts and funds.

Unexpectedly, he encountered an uninvited guest at the milk tea shop.

Li Hongrui!

He had ordered a milk tea, his expression triumphant. With his legs crossed, he scanned the layout of the milk tea shop with a sneer and disdain, displaying quite a bossy and arrogant demeanor.

Chapter 89: Rules Must Still Be Set

Zhou Buqi didn’t know what kind of fit this guy was throwing again.

However, since this was Yuanwei Milk Tea Shop and the other party was a customer, Zhou Buqi greeted him warmly: “What a coincidence, Li Erdan.”

When Li Hongrui saw Zhou Buqi, his eyes lit up. “Second Brother Zhou? I didn’t expect to see you here either! What a coincidence, too much of a coincidence!”

Zhou Buqi smiled, waved to the part-time college student, and said with a smile, “I’d like a hot milk tea, I’ll take it to go later.”

Then he walked over and sat opposite Li Hongrui, asking with a smile, “What’s got you so happy?”

“Happy! So happy!”

Li Hongrui had the smug look of a petty person getting their way, his nostrils practically pointing at the ceiling.

“Tell me about it?”

“Forget it, I’m afraid you’ll spit blood if I tell you.”

“I’ll spit blood?”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. “Li Erdan, you think too highly of yourself, don’t you?”

“Don’t believe me?” Li Hongrui said coldly, his gaze contemptuous. He took out a contract from his bag, curled his lips, and said triumphantly, “Take a look, just signed!”

Zhou Buqi only needed to glance at the title page to know what the contract was.

It was a Property Lease Agreement.

It was for that shop at the North Gate!

For the past two days, both sides had been aggressively bidding for the pastry shop at the North Gate.

One hundred fifty thousand, one hundred sixty thousand, one hundred seventy thousand, one hundred eighty thousand…

Li Hongrui’s latest bid that morning was one hundred ninety thousand!

When Zhou Buqi received the news that afternoon, he sneered inwardly. He called Wen Zhixia and told her to offer a fixed price: two hundred thousand!

“Put out two hundred thousand, and the shop is yours!”

Unexpectedly, Li Hongrui was quite efficient; he signed the contract that very evening.

Zhou Buqi pretended not to know, looking at him blankly. “The North Gate shop? You got it? How much?”

Seeing his surprised expression, Li Hongrui felt incredibly pleased. He said proudly, “Two hundred thousand!”

Zhou Buqi gave a thumbs-up. “As expected of Young Master Li, you’re bold!”

These words made Li Hongrui extremely comfortable. He said smugly, “Just a small sum, nothing worth mentioning, nothing worth mentioning!”

Just then, Zhou Buqi’s phone rang. It was a text message.

From Wen Zhixia—

“My lord Zhou, are you coming home tonight?”

“Yes, something wrong?”

“Then hurry back, let’s go get a late-night snack. My treat.”

“Oh? So well-behaved today?”

“Made some money, happy.”

Zhou Buqi looked up at Li Hongrui opposite him, then lowered his head, beaming with smiles as he replied to the text message: “No problem, see you in half an hour!”

Li Hongrui was bewildered. He snorted coldly, “Second Brother Zhou, I say, you haven’t gone crazy from anger, have you? What are you grinning foolishly about?”

“Angry? No, no, no, you misunderstood, I’m not angry at all.”

Zhou Buqi shook his head repeatedly, his expression joyful.

Get angry with someone like Li Hongrui?

Not worth it!

Li Hongrui pouted disdainfully, saying contemptuously, “You, you’ve always been so good at putting on an act since childhood. In the end, you’ll be the one to suffer. Don’t blame your Second Brother for not warning you.”

“Oh, thanks.” Zhou Buqi smiled, and even said with concern, “Li Erdan, you’re also opening a milk tea shop, right? Have you contacted the equipment suppliers? What about the recipes? Do you need my help?”

“You?” Li Hongrui glanced at him from head to toe. “No need! It’s just a lousy milk tea shop. If you, Second Brother Zhou, can get it going, could it possibly stump me, Li Hongrui? In my opinion, you might as well close your milk tea shop early, lest you lose money later and have nowhere to cry.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, stood up, and said, “Alright then, I wish you a smooth opening. I have something else to do, so I’ll be going now!”

“Hey, hey…”

Li Hongrui’s eyes widened. He found Zhou Buqi very strange. He’s even wishing me a smooth opening?

Could it be that he’s too angry and burned out his brain?

Uh, highly likely.

Thinking this, Li Hongrui felt much better, as if he owned the whole world.

Just then, Zhou Buqi picked up the packed hot milk tea, waved to Li Hongrui, “Li Erdan, I’m going to deliver milk tea to my Little Yu. See you.”

Little Yu?

Wu Yu?

Li Hongrui’s face fell instantly. He felt a suffocating feeling well up in his chest, congealing into a mouthful of old blood that choked him and made him breathless.

Second Brother Zhou, you’re going too far!

…

Wu Yu’s menstrual period was usually at the end of the month, so the past few days were her safe period. Zhou Buqi had taken her to check into a hotel room for three consecutive days.

Today was not possible.

“Thank you, Husband!”

Wu Yu took the milk tea and joyfully leaped into his arms.

Zhou Buqi opened his arms, gently embracing her, and said softly, “Alright, hurry upstairs, don’t get cold. It feels like it’s going to snow tonight.”

“Mm, kiss me.”

Wu Yu raised her head, her beautiful eyes like stars.

After a passionate kiss, Zhou Buqi left the school.

When he returned home, he saw Wen Zhixia half-squatting, half-kneeling, wiping the floor with a cleaning rag.

“You’re back?” Wen Zhixia looked back, giving him a sweet smile. “You sit on the sofa for a bit. Only the living room is left. After I finish wiping the floor, we’ll go get a late-night snack.”

Zhou Buqi didn’t stand on ceremony. He really did sit on the sofa like a master, watching her kneel on the ground wiping the floor, letting his mind wander.

Even though she always loved to talk back and argue, she was absolutely simple and unpretentious, hardworking and uncomplaining.

“Lift your foot.”

Just then, Wen Zhixia had wiped over to the sofa. She knelt by his feet and patted his calf.

Zhou Buqi quickly lifted his foot.

He saw a layer of sweat on her forehead, and a few strands of dark hair clung to her fragrant cheek. She knelt by his feet like a little cat…

Although she was kneeling like this to wipe the floor, thinking of Teacher Wen, who was usually high and mighty and loved to argue, obediently kneeling at his feet like this, the feeling was indescribably comfortable.

His sense of accomplishment exploded, and his sense of satisfaction exploded.

Zhou Buqi gave a light cough and said, “Zhixia, stop for a moment, I want to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

In just a few days, Wen Zhixia had gotten used to him calling her that. She straightened up, stretched, and lightly massaged her slender waist with her fists.

Zhou Buqi said seriously, “I’ve thought about it. We need to set some rules for our home. How about this: for minor mistakes, you get punished by standing. For slightly bigger mistakes, you get punished by kneeling. Unless absolutely necessary, I won’t lay a hand on you. What do you think?”

Wen Zhixia looked at him in astonishment, a bewildered expression on her face.

What nonsense is this?

Hmm? Wait!

Punished by kneeling?

Wen Zhixia seemed to realize something. She looked down and suddenly realized she was indeed kneeling by Zhou Buqi’s feet. Her face flushed red instantly, angry and furious, she angrily threw the cleaning rag in her hand at his face: “Dream on!”

She immediately stood up and went to wash her face.

She felt greatly wronged.

Zhou Buqi quickly chased after her, grinning, and went to the bathroom with her. Then he saw those fierce rolled eyes in the mirror.

“Tired? I’ll give you a shoulder massage.”

“Hands off!”

“I’ll help you massage.”

Zhou Buqi stood behind her, gently kneading her shoulders, grinning foolishly at her flawlessly beautiful face in the mirror.

Wen Zhixia twisted a few times and said grumpily, “Stop kneading, do you think I’m clay?”

Zhou Buqi gasped and burst out laughing.

Wen Zhixia gave him another fierce rolled eyes in the mirror. “Hurry up and help me comb my hair, let’s make haste and go get a late-night snack.”

“No problem!”

Helping a girl comb her hair was probably Zhou Buqi’s most skilled ability.

He immediately took the comb, untied her hair tie, his movements gentle and smooth, like flowing clouds and water.

It was already the end of November, and the weather was very cold.

Both of them put on down jackets. After going outside, they found snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

This was the first snow of winter this year.

Zhou Buqi reached out his hand and said with a smile, “My pocket is warm.”

Wen Zhixia rolled her eyes at him, not reacting.

Zhou Buqi, without explanation, pulled her tender hand over, intertwined their fingers, and tucked it into his pocket. The two walked very close to each other on the snowy street.

“I’m your Teacher.”

“This is off-campus.”

“I’m older than you, by a full six years.”

“A woman three years older brings a golden brick. Six years older, that’s two golden bricks, ha! I’m rich!”

“Then what about Wu Yu?”

Wen Zhixia stopped, turning to look at him.

The atmosphere of the falling snow seemed particularly suitable for discussing this topic.

Zhou Buqi had a headache. He frowned and said, “You already said you’re my Teacher and six years older than me, can’t you be a bit more tolerant and give me some slack?”

“Tolerant?”

Wen Zhixia laughed in exasperation.

She had never heard of something like this being tolerated. What do you want to do?

“Eating from the bowl while looking at the pot? Don’t you think that’s disgusting?” Wen Zhixia said through gritted teeth.

Zhou Buqi’s expression was calm and unconcerned. He said, “What era is this? Food has long become abundant. As long as you have money, let alone eating from the bowl while looking at the pot, which meal doesn’t have several dishes? Times have changed… Ouch! Why did you kick me?”

“You’re such a scumbag!”

Wen Zhixia was so angry she kicked him fiercely.

Zhou Buqi didn’t hold back. He opened his arms and tightly hugged her. “Baby, be good, don’t make a fuss.”

“Let go of me!”

“You, you’re just too strong-willed. It seems when we get home, we really need to set some rules. With your behavior just now, punishing you to kneel for half an hour would be light.”

“Zhou Buqi, you’re making me sick!”

Zhou Buqi said with displeasure, “Wen Zhixia, why are you so immature? Do you dare say you don’t like me? Hmph! Let’s just see how things go first. If our personalities, hobbies, and so on really don’t match, then we can just be good friends. If they’re all quite suitable, then we can talk about Wu Yu’s matter. Is it meaningful for you to argue with me every day?”

Wen Zhixia’s tone softened considerably, feeling quite guilty. “Who likes you? You’re really thick-skinned.”

“Hmph, whether you like me or not, you know it in your heart.” Zhou Buqi pouted and released the beauty from his embrace.

Wen Zhixia glared fiercely at him. “I’ve never seen anyone as shameless as you!”

“Well, now you have, haven’t you?”

“I’m going crazy.”

Wen Zhixia was frantic, on the verge of breaking down.

Just then, her phone rang. She took out her phone, her expression changed slightly, becoming serious. She moved a few steps away, seemingly deliberately avoiding Zhou Buqi.

“Xiao Hui, what’s wrong? …Uh, I’ll transfer it to you tomorrow… How much? How do I have that much money? Xiao Hui, your sister is just a university teacher, and she still needs to save money for Mom and Dad’s medical treatment, how can I… Xiao Hui, please, your sister is begging you, there’s no need to buy such a good car… Xiao Hui…”

After the call ended, Wen Zhixia’s tears streamed down her face. Her voice choked, and she covered her face, weeping.

Zhou Buqi reached out and embraced her again.

This time, she gently leaned into his arms, her cries suddenly intensified, tears streaming down like rain.

Chapter 90: New Project Launched

Their late-night snack was skewered hot pot.

Wen Zhixia’s eyes were red, as if she had just cried, as she spoke bitterly about her younger brother, Wen Minghui.

He wanted to buy a car.

The model he had set his sights on was the newly launched Volkswagen Touran, priced at two hundred twenty thousand yuan!

With Zhou Buqi’s help, Wen Zhixia had sold her pastry shop, earning a substantial sum of two hundred thousand yuan. This made her very happy, and she specifically invited him out for a late-night snack.

In her opinion, her brother buying a car would only cost tens of thousands of yuan.

After all these years, she could finally keep a usable sum of money for herself.

Unexpectedly, after just one phone call, Wen Zhixia was utterly despairing, on the verge of a breakdown.

Zhou Buqi felt a surge of empathetic anger. “Your brother is such a jerk, isn’t he? Doesn’t he consider the difficulties you face as his older sister?”

Wen Zhixia was still choked up. She took a few deep breaths and shook her head. “Xiaohui wasn’t like this before.”

“Hmm?”

“The person he’s dating, she spends money… For years, Xiaohui’s monthly living expenses were only tens of yuan, and he’d save it all to send to me. Three years ago, he started dating someone, and he changed. His monthly living expenses are at least two or three thousand yuan. It’s just a small county town; why does he need to spend so much?”

“Why don’t you break up?”

Wen Zhixia shook her head. “That girl… I’ve met her twice. She’s very eloquent. Xiaohui is too straightforward; he can’t win an argument against her. Sigh, in the end, it’s still my fault. If he had gone to high school back then, it wouldn’t have come to this…”

“This isn’t your fault!”

Zhou Buqi’s tone was heavy, and he glared at her.

Wen Zhixia sighed softly and fell silent.

Every family has its own troubles.

Zhou Buqi said, “Problems that can be solved with money are never truly problems. I have money on hand; how much do you need?”

“No need, my savings… I can still scrape enough together.”

“You, you!”

…

On campus, the university’s student union was organizing students to clear snow.

What a small world.

He ran into Lü Hua.

Lü Hua was wearing a high-end black leather jacket with a fur collar and black gloves. With his hands clasped behind his back, he directed people, exuding a strong leadership aura.

“Zhou Buqi!”

From a distance, Lü Hua called out to him, walking over with a smile.

Zhou Buqi frowned, his expression indifferent. “What is it?”

“Nothing much, just wanted to tell you not to get too upset. You’re only a freshman; you have a long way to go. Once a few of us graduate, you’ll have plenty of room to show what you can do.” Lü Hua spoke earnestly, looking concerned.

Zhou Buqi was a little bewildered. “Upset? What am I upset about?”

“Still not admitting it?” Lü Hua said properly, sighing. “Li Hongrui already told me. It’s really no big deal; there’s no shame in it. I represent the university’s student union; it’s not surprising to lose to me.”

Zhou Buqi laughed in exasperation. “Lose to you? Chairman Lü, what are you talking about?”

Lü Hua shook his head, saying, “Li Hongrui was right about you; you just won’t give up until you’re faced with undeniable proof. Honestly, there’s no need to be like this. We might have some competition, but we’re still classmates, aren’t we? There’s no need to act like enemies, don’t you agree?”

“Of course we’re not enemies, but what exactly are you talking about?”

“Do you really want me to spell it out? If I say it, it might hurt your pride, and others might think I’m bullying you.”

Zhou Buqi felt that Lü Hua was getting a bit carried away and wasn’t thinking straight. He said helplessly, “You’re talking about the shop at the North Gate, right? You won the bid, congratulations!”

Lü Hua sighed, saying, “That doesn’t sound sincere at all. You… you’re just too vengeful, too petty and calculating.”

Zhou Buqi looked at him, amused. “You’re the ones opening a milk tea shop to compete with me, aren’t you?”

Lü Hua’s expression hardened, and he lectured, “Zhou Buqi, now I have to talk to you about this. We’re in a market economy now; as long as a business is legal, no one can control what you want to do! What? Only you are allowed to open a milk tea shop, but the student union isn’t? Zhou Buqi, your thinking is too narrow-minded!”

Zhou Buqi felt that the other party was like a mad dog, no wonder he hung out with Li Hongrui. He said indifferently, “Chairman Lü, excessive joy leads to sorrow.”

“Hmm?”

Lü Hua was slightly stunned, not understanding what he meant. When he looked up again, he saw that Zhou Buqi had already left with a swagger.

As Zhou Buqi walked towards the Activity Center, he called Zhen Yu. “Senior Sister Zhen, how are things on your end…? Alright, launch it as soon as possible!”

…

Campus Network was launched.

Zhou Buqi almost used all the resources he currently possessed to promote this website.

In all the already operating Yuanwei milk tea shops, promotional signboards for Campus Network were put up.

In all thirty-nine dormitory convenience stores operating in partnership, promotional banners for Campus Network were also hung.

The entrepreneurial teams from various universities also resumed their ground promotion work, scattering flyers like snowflakes across major universities.

Zhou Buqi even contacted manufacturers, requesting that future milk tea cups supplied be imprinted with the words “Campus Network, find your classmates.”

On the first day of launch, there were one thousand eighty-five users.

Most of these were registrations from the entrepreneurial teams themselves at various universities, as well as registrations initiated by dormmates and friends.

For the next three days, daily registrations remained in the tens.

Entering December, a new batch of milk tea cups appeared, and coupled with continuous days of promotional efforts, the number of registrations began to increase sharply.

December 1st: eight hundred fifty-four new users;

December 2nd: two thousand two hundred fifty-eight new users;

December 3rd: five thousand two hundred nine new users…

Within one week of its launch, Campus Network’s user count successfully surpassed ten thousand!

Campus Network is a classmate community where you can find university classmates, including high school classmates, middle school classmates… Once a classmate community is established, it spreads virally.

As the Chairman of the university’s student union, Lü Hua was very displeased.

With such a new website emerging at Beike, he and the student union hadn’t been able to get a piece of the pie, which left him feeling very unbalanced. Privately, he had already warned the forum editors of the Campus BBS, strictly prohibiting any posts promoting Campus Network on the forum.

At the same time, he sternly urged that the milk tea shop at the North Gate be renovated and prepared quickly.

The milk tea shop had to open before Christmas!

That wasn’t enough. At noon, he specifically called the main department heads of the university’s student union and the Heads of student clubs to the Dining Hall for a meeting, lecturing them earnestly.

His sole purpose was to have them mobilize all resources at their disposal to promote and advertise his “Youzi Youwei” milk tea shop.

He wanted the milk tea shop to become a campus-wide hit product on its opening day, completely defeating Yuanwei Milk Tea.

Lü Hua was the Chairman of the university’s student union, so everyone had to give him face.

Furthermore, he claimed that the “Youzi Youwei” milk tea shop had the university’s student union’s involvement, which made it even more legitimate.

“Huh? When did these stickers appear on the tables?”

At this moment, a student finally noticed the change on the dining tables.

On the dining tables, at some unknown point, red Coca-Cola advertising plastic stickers had been affixed.

Looking up, all hundreds of tables in the entire Dining Hall were red, covered in Coca-Cola advertisements.

“Quite stylish.”

“Very festive.”

“Why didn’t they put Pepsi stickers? I think Pepsi tastes better than Coke.”

Most students lacked business acumen and were casually commenting on the sticker advertisements on the dining tables.

Lü Hua’s expression, however, changed dramatically, and he was startled.

Advertisements!

These are advertisements!

When did Coca-Cola’s merchants manage to push into the campus?

Did the Dining Hall bring them in from outside?

That’s impossible!

Those people who contract the Dining Hall only think about deducting students’ meal portions and passing off inferior goods as good to earn dirty money. How could they come up with such an advertising idea?

Who?

Who is it?

Lü Hua suddenly slammed the table and stood up abruptly.

His eyes wide, he looked like an enraged lion.

Chapter 91: Tearing Off the Facade

The university’s student union was the official channel for connecting external businesses with internal university resources. However, Coca-Cola’s advertisements had quietly and stealthily made their way into the university Dining Hall, covering the tabletops.

This touched a raw nerve for Lü Hua!

He was furious!

As the Chairman of the university’s student union, he had extremely strong control over the power and interests within his own turf.

He never expected someone to be poaching staff right under his nose!

“Investigate! Investigate for me! I want to see who dares to challenge me on my own turf!”

Lü Hua’s angry shouts echoed throughout the Dining Hall.

With the Chairman of the student union enraged, everyone quickly sprang into action.

But after a day of searching, there was no progress.

Someone even found the Dining Hall manager, who provided the original contract. The person who signed it was named Zhen Yu.

The university’s student union mobilized its resources, but they couldn’t find this person anywhere.

It seemed she wasn’t from Beike.

“From another university?”

Lü Hua stared blankly, feeling lost, annoyed, and bewildered.

He was the Chairman of Beike’s student union. If the tabletop advertising project was handled by a student from another university, he really couldn’t intervene easily.

If it had been during the project’s progress, he could certainly have exerted influence and blocked it.

But now the project had already been implemented, and a written contract was signed in black and white. What could he do?

His influence was only effective within Beike; outside the university, he was nothing.

Of course, he was mostly annoyed.

He had been pulling off these schemes of getting something for nothing using university resources since his freshman year, and he was very good at it. He had earned over one hundred thousand yuan during his university years.

But he never imagined that Dining Hall tabletops also held such a huge business opportunity!

Unlike ordinary university students, Lü Hua had a very sensitive business acumen.

He could foresee that tabletop advertising was a big business!

The other party was Coca-Cola, a world-class company.

Could the advertising fees be small?

Who was so clever to even think of such an idea?

What a sharp mind!

Hmm?

For some reason, a name suddenly popped into Lü Hua’s mind—Zhou Buqi!

“Bang!”

In the university’s student union Chairman’s office, Lü Hua slammed his hand on the desk and said sharply, “Go check on the entrepreneurial club!”

The previous incident with the flyers was clear proof.

In the afternoon, Lü Hua received the news.

Sure enough, there was a connection!

The Coca-Cola advertising plastic stickers in the Dining Hall had been placed on the tabletops the day before yesterday. All five students who put up the advertisements were from the entrepreneurial club.

Found them!

“Zhou Buqi, it really is you!”

Lü Hua trembled with rage, his eyes bloodshot, as if on fire.

Cutting off someone’s livelihood is like killing their parents.

He couldn’t tolerate it!

Without any hesitation, he headed straight for the Student Activity Center.

To find Zhou Buqi!

The Campus Network had been online for half a month, and registered users had already reached nearly thirty thousand, achieving tremendous success.

In his previous life, the Campus Network that Wang Xing and his team built took three months to reach thirty thousand users.

Zhou Buqi only took two weeks.

This was due to the solid foundation he had laid beforehand.

Promotional methods through multiple channels, such as the Entrepreneurship Alliance, the chain milk tea shops, and the dormitory building convenience stores, allowed the Campus Network to quickly spread throughout the university town on the west side of the city.

In contrast, Wang Xing and his team had a tough time; they had graduated years ago and were far from campus. To promote their site, they had to sneak into various teaching buildings, write the Campus Network’s website address on blackboards, and then slipped away like thieves.

As the number of users increased, so did the server pressure, bandwidth pressure, and operational pressure. The R&D department recruited three more people, filling up the ten slots for part-time student programmers.

Zhou Buqi would often appear here, on one hand to offer functional design suggestions, and on the other to encourage everyone.

University students had low stress resistance and needed constant encouragement and morale-boosting.

At this moment, the door to the R&D office suddenly opened.

Lü Hua appeared, his face full of anger, “Zhou Buqi, get out here!”

Zhou Buqi remained calm, turning his head to say, “The tasks have been quite heavy recently, everyone has worked hard. Within three days, the website launch bonus will be distributed, one thousand yuan per person.”

Then, without even looking at Lü Hua, he walked to the office next door.

“Stop right there!”

Lü Hua thought he was trying to run and quickly followed, only to find himself in the next room.

A mahogany desk, a leather sofa, elegant decor, and two pots of vibrant green cacti on the windowsill, full of life.

Though both were university students, Zhou Buqi’s office was much better than his own, the student union Chairman’s office.

For a moment, the angry Lü Hua felt a few more pangs of Envy, Jealousy, and Hatred.

“Barging in like a mad dog, ready to bite.” Zhou Buqi had already shown his killer move, so he wasn’t afraid of having a complete fallout with him. His expression was cold. “Tell me, what is it?”

“Zhou Buqi, do you really want to go against me?” Lü Hua was uncontrollably furious, his scalp tingling with anger.

Zhou Buqi leaned back casually in the executive chair behind the desk and said indifferently, “Go against you? Lü Hua, take a good look in the mirror, do you even deserve it?”

“Good! Good! Good!”

Lü Hua laughed out of extreme anger, nodding his head.

From this undisguised humiliation and sarcasm, he understood that this time, Zhou Buqi was no longer hiding his capacities and biding his time, but openly showing hostility.

Why?

There was only one reason: he was forced by circumstances, reaching a point where he had to have a complete fallout.

Lü Hua became even more certain, saying in a deep voice, “The tabletop advertising, it really was you who did it!”

Zhou Buqi’s lips curled, “Whoever did it, does it concern you?”

Lü Hua said coldly, “I remember we agreed that you’d go your way, and I’d go mine…”

“Heh!”

Zhou Buqi scoffed, interrupting him, “Lü Hua, I remember you said that too. It’s a market economy now; as long as a business is legal, no one can control it. I can open a milk tea shop, and you can open a milk tea shop. What? Is the great Chairman of the student union talking Nonsense!?”

Lü Hua clenched his fists and shouted sharply, “Zhou Buqi, you said this! Don’t you regret it!”

“Threatening me?” Zhou Buqi was quite disdainful.

“I don’t care about other universities, but Beike’s Dining Hall must be managed by the university’s student union. If you give up this business, this matter will be over, and I promise not to make things difficult for you.”

Lü Hua knew that Zhou Buqi was not easy to mess with and seemed to be highly regarded by the university leadership. He didn’t want a complete fallout and still tried to salvage the situation.

But he didn’t know that the other party had been waiting for this day for over a month.

Zhou Buqi had long been fed up with Lü Hua’s actions. Especially his insane and ruthless act of using the student union’s convenience to sell cheap refurbished computers to students.

A while ago, his resources were limited, and a head-on confrontation with the university’s student union would have been difficult.

The university’s student union controlled the university’s BBS forum, occupying the high ground of public opinion among students.

Once the other party wantonly smeared him on the forum, it would be impossible to clear his name.

Now, things were different.

The Campus Network was online!

Currently, the Campus Network’s user count couldn’t compare to Beike’s BBS forum, but the Campus Network was developing extremely fast.

More importantly, the Campus Network was not limited to Beike; its users had spread to over forty universities, with more than ten universities even located in other cities.

The two websites were simply not on the same level.

“Give it to you? Why? Just because you’re so arrogant?” Zhou Buqi scoffed, full of disdain.

“Are you determined to go against me?”

“You’re the one picking a fight, aren’t you?”

“Fine!”

Lü Hua’s face was gloomy, and he nodded heavily, “Zhou Buqi, just you wait and see!”

With that, he turned and left.

Negotiations had broken down.

A major conflict was inevitable.

Zhou Buqi leaned back in the leather swivel chair with a relaxed expression, saying lazily, “A word of warning: no posts slandering me are allowed on the Campus Forum. Otherwise, I won’t mind promoting your glorious deeds, Chairman Lü, of selling refurbished computers to students on the Campus Network.”

Lü Hua stumbled slightly, quickening his pace.

Chapter 92: Li Hongrui’s Moment of Glory

After returning, Lü Hua racked his brains, pondering how to deal with Zhou Buqi.

As he had said, discrediting him on the BBS forum was definitely not an option.

The other party had Campus Network, which had a much greater influence.

To be honest, Lü Hua had good business acumen, but his power tactics were mediocre; he had never truly harmed anyone before.

How should he deal with Zhou Buqi?

He couldn’t think of anything.

So, Lü Hua called Li Hongrui over.

When Li Hongrui heard that Lü Hua was determined to take down Zhou Buqi, he was so excited that snot bubbles almost appeared, and he immediately laughed, “It’s simple to deal with that kid!”

“You have a way?”

“Plenty.”

“Tell me.”

“He has a girlfriend named Wu Yu, from the School of Arts and Law. She joined the school’s student union. Just say she’s unqualified and kick her out directly!”

This was a thorn in Li Hongrui’s side, and it was a perfect opportunity to settle a personal score.

Lü Hua pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Alright, if we can’t handle him directly, we can start with the people around him!”

“As long as Wu Yu throws a tantrum and cries, it’ll be enough to make that kid Zhou Buqi panic for a while. Then, we’ll attack his main business!”

“Oh?”

“Aren’t the dining hall advertisements put up by people from the entrepreneurial club? And the flyers from last time too. I remember that school clubs usually follow a ‘one year registration, two years review, three years observation’ rule, right?”

Lü Hua was very familiar with this. “Yes, one year for registration, two years for review, and three years for observation. Only if there are no issues after three years is it considered an official student club under the Youth League Committee.”

“We can work on that aspect!” Li Hongrui said sinisterly.

Lü Hua raised an eyebrow. “You mean communicate with the Youth League Committee and disband this club?”

“Of course!”

The reason Li Hongrui could blurt this out was that he had long regarded Zhou Buqi as a thorn in his side and had been constantly plotting how to bring him down. Now that Lü Hua, the Chairman of the university’s student union, was making a move, he naturally had to go with the flow.

Lü Hua was not the resolute and swift in action type of person. He considered it for a full thirty seconds before nodding slightly. “Alright, this approach works.”

Li Hongrui’s lips curved into a slight smile. “We’re backed by the university’s student union. What does Zhou Buqi have? Only the entrepreneurial club. As long as we disband this club, who will work for him? Then, we’ll send a few people to the Dining Hall to tear down the advertisements, leaving him utterly helpless! At that point, he’ll breach his contracts with the merchants and have to pay so much it’ll make him furious.”

“Good! That’s a good idea!”

Lü Hua’s eyes lit up, praising him profusely.

What he cared about most was making money; bringing down Zhou Buqi was secondary.

As long as he destroyed Zhou Buqi’s entrepreneurial club and then went to the Dining Hall to tear down those dining table advertisements, what could Zhou Buqi do?

At that time, Lü Hua could step in under the name of the student union to clean up the mess.

The dining table advertisement project would naturally fall into his hands.

Brilliant!

What a brilliant move!

“Actually, these are nothing. We still have the most powerful move, the strategy of pulling the rug out from under him!” Li Hongrui rubbed his hands together, looking eager for a big fight.

“Quick, tell me!”

Lü Hua had also realized that while Li Hongrui was rubbish at making money, his methods for harming others were absolutely first-rate. He should listen to his suggestions more.

Li Hongrui said coldly, “The reason Second Brother Zhou dared to openly challenge the student union this time is because of his broken website, isn’t it? As long as we bring down that website, all problems will be solved!”

Lü Hua was startled. “Li Hongrui, don’t mess around. Campus Network is registered with the school authorities, and the Youth League Committee’s documents have been sent to the student union, requesting us to cooperate with Campus Network’s promotion.”

Li Hongrui looked relaxed and chuckled, “Chairman, don’t worry, we’ll do it without anyone knowing, no one will find out.”

“Oh?”

“I know a brother who didn’t even finish junior high, but his computer skills are really impressive. In my hometown, all the internet companies have to pay him protection money.”

“What?”

Lü Hua was stunned, feeling unable to comprehend.

Websites paying protection money?

What kind of routine was this?

Did their ‘brothers’ from the Northeast underworld get involved in the internet too?

Li Hongrui lowered his voice and said sinisterly, “Anyone who doesn’t pay will have their website guaranteed to be hacked, and their database will be damaged. At that point, the losses won’t just be that small amount of protection money.”

Lü Hua immediately understood and blurted out, “Hackers!”

Li Hongrui smiled triumphantly. “How about it, Chairman? What if I contact this brother and have him hack Campus Network, enter the backend, and delete all user data… Heh heh, what right will Second Brother Zhou have to challenge us then?”

Lü Hua was convinced.

This Li Hongrui was useless at everything else, but his methods for harming others were truly formidable.

A brilliant plan to bring peace to the world!

Why was Zhou Buqi registered with the school authorities?

Wasn’t it because his website had prospects?

As long as his website was ruined, he would lose the school’s special care.

At that time, as the Chairman of the university’s student union, wouldn’t he be able to manipulate a mere university student as he pleased?

“Brilliant! Simply brilliant!”

…

Accounting class ended.

Zhou Buqi quickly left the classroom and chased after Wen Zhixia. “Teacher Wen, wait up!”

Hearing that voice, Wen Zhixia shivered. She turned around and looked at him warily. “What is it?”

As he approached, she lowered her voice and cautiously warned, “This is school, behave yourself.”

“I know. When have you ever seen me make inappropriate moves in school?”

“Even your eyes aren’t allowed.”

Zhou Buqi said grumpily, “What’s wrong with my eyes? It’s the middle of winter, what can I even see? Besides, I can see everything at home, do I need to come to school for it?”

Wen Zhixia’s face flushed, and she said angrily, “You’re still talking!”

Zhou Buqi cleared his throat. “Alright, let’s talk about something proper. I remember you’re a teacher from the Youth League Committee?”

Wen Zhixia’s expression improved significantly. She puffed out her chest and held her head high, her fair chin slightly raised, adopting the air of a teacher educating a student. She said seriously, “Yes, I’m responsible for guiding student entrepreneurship. Your milk tea shop is under my supervision, isn’t it?”

“Oh… right. My website has a lot of users, and the bandwidth is clearly becoming insufficient. I mentioned it to the school leaders. The school leaders told me to find the Youth League Committee, saying that the Youth League Committee would provide some support.”

Wen Zhixia was surprised. “I remember the Youth League Committee provided you with a 5M dedicated broadband line, didn’t they? That’s not enough already? How many users does Campus Network have now?”

“Almost twenty thousand.”

“That’s not that many, is it? I’m telling you, the school’s resources are limited, and the Youth League Committee has even less. Don’t keep thinking about taking advantage all the time.”

“Who’s taking advantage all the time?”

“You…”

Wen Zhixia’s face flushed slightly, and she said in a low, chiding voice, “Can you be proper? What if someone hears you saying things like that in school? Are you intentionally trying to embarrass me?”

Zhou Buqi said, “I am being proper. Yesterday, Campus Network’s peak concurrent online users reached three thousand people. We calculated that with 5M broadband, five thousand concurrent users would overload it. We must increase the bandwidth; this is called planning ahead.”

Wen Zhixia said “Oh,” then, “Alright, I’ll take you.”

Chapter 93: Rejected!

The two went to the Administrative Building.

As they went upstairs, Zhou Buqi, seeing no one around, secretly reached out and gently pinched Wen Zhixia’s fair, tender hand.

Wen Zhixia reacted as if she’d been electrocuted, instantly jumping away.

Zhou Buqi almost laughed out loud. “Is that really necessary? Don’t fall!”

“Are you crazy?” Wen Zhixia’s face was livid with anger.

Zhou Buqi whispered, “Relax, I checked, there’s no one here. I was just teasing you, didn’t expect such a big reaction.”

Wen Zhixia gritted her teeth and said, “This is school! You behave yourself!”

“Alright, I get it.”

“Also, from now on, when we’re at school, you’re to call me Teacher Wen, and be respectful.”

“Oh, okay.”

Zhou Buqi shrugged, looking nonchalant, then couldn’t resist teasing her again. “You want me to call you Teacher Wen at school, but what about when we’re not at school?”

“I don’t know, stop bothering me.” Wen Zhixia said with a cold face, letting out a huff.

Zhou Buqi said with a grin, “I think calling you Zhixia is too formal. How about I just call you Baby? That’s a good nickname.”

Wen Zhixia’s face instantly flushed red with shame and anger. “If you keep this up, I’m not talking to you anymore! Go bother Wu Yu, don’t bother me!”

Zhou Buqi said seriously, “Darling is darling, and Baby is baby. They shouldn’t be confused.”

Was that even a human thing to say?

Wen Zhixia was almost fuming.

She glanced around, saw no one coming, and couldn’t help but kick out, aiming straight for his shin!

“Ouch! Wen Zhixia, you actually kicked me!”

“That’s for not behaving!”

…

Zhou Buqi followed Wen Zhixia, limping into an office.

“Teacher Tian, are you here?”

The moment she entered, Wen Zhixia seemed like a different person. All traces of shyness and annoyance vanished from her face, replaced by a calm and composed expression. She held her head high and her chest out, exuding a significant aura.

Teacher Tian was a female teacher in her forties, a deputy official in the Youth League Committee. She looked up and smiled, “Little Wen? Is something wrong?”

“I have a student who’s starting a business and wants to ask the Youth League Committee for some help.” Wen Zhixia gave her a slight smile, then turned back and said seriously, “Student Zhou Buqi, this is Teacher Tian. She’s the teacher in charge of student entrepreneurship. You can explain your situation to her.”

“Zhou Buqi?”

Teacher Tian had clearly heard the name before. She adjusted her glasses, a little surprised. “You are Zhou Buqi?”

Zhou Buqi bowed. “Hello, Teacher Tian. I am Zhou Buqi.”

Teacher Tian looked him up and down, then praised, “Indeed, the younger generation surpasses the older. This is incredible. I’ve been following your Campus Network; you’ve done a great job. How many users do you have now?”

“Nearly thirty thousand.”

“Really?”

Teacher Tian’s eyes widened in surprise.

Zhou Buqi said, “Yes, the website’s initial promotion went well, and the alumni referral model is quite innovative. Conservatively, the total number of users this year could exceed seventy thousand.”

Teacher Tian exclaimed, “That’s very impressive, truly remarkable. The Youth League Committee has been closely following your project. Tell me, what problems are you facing that the Youth League Committee can help with?”

Zhou Buqi said seriously, “Yesterday, the Campus Network reached three thousand concurrent online users. Based on the 5M dedicated broadband line the school currently provides us, it can support a maximum of five thousand concurrent users.”

Teacher Tian frowned and fell silent.

Dedicated broadband is different from personal broadband. Only national institutions and companies are qualified to apply for it. Besides being stable, smooth, and interference-free, it also provides ports that can bypass domestic firewalls, allowing free access to the international internet.

Legally speaking, individuals bypassing the firewall to access the internet are breaking the law.

Dedicated broadband, however, is legal.

Its only drawback is its high cost.

At this stage, the annual fee for a 5M dedicated broadband line is fifty thousand yuan.

Roughly estimated, fifty thousand Campus Network users would require a 5M broadband line, and one hundred thousand users would require a 10M broadband line.

Essentially, each user corresponds to one yuan in annual broadband fees.

For one million users, the broadband fees alone would be one million yuan annually.

This is only the initial stage. If video, audio, high-definition images, and other sections are added later, broadband consumption would increase tenfold, becoming an even more exaggerated figure.

Even if internet fees decrease year by year, this is still a considerable expense.

In his previous life, the Campus Network, after accumulating hundreds of thousands of users, couldn’t persist and was forced to sell.

This was still fortunate; the country had been investing heavily in internet infrastructure construction, leading to annual decreases in internet fees and the cancellation of various miscellaneous charges like network service fees and circuit rental fees.

If it had been a few years earlier, without sufficient capital, running a website would have been a death sentence.

No users, death.

Too many users, faster death.

Unless it’s like hao123, with a simple page, no document content added, no content editing provided, just rows of hyperlinks… This model saves a lot of traffic. A 5M broadband line could maintain five hundred thousand users without issue.

“How much more do you need?”

After a long silence, Teacher Tian finally looked up and asked him softly.

Zhou Buqi didn’t hesitate, stating clearly, “Another 5M should stabilize us for this year. We can discuss next year’s needs next semester.”

Teacher Tian nodded. “This isn’t a small matter. The Youth League Committee leaders will hold a meeting to discuss it. But rest assured, the school strongly supports your project, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.”

Zhou Buqi quickly thanked her, “Thank you so much, Teacher Tian, for your trouble.”

Teacher Tian waved her hand. “The Youth League Committee is here to serve you students, after all, and I’m in charge of entrepreneurship. If you need anything in the future, you can come directly to me.”

Zhou Buqi thanked her again.

“However, there are some things I still need to remind you of.” Teacher Tian paused, her expression serious. “The school’s resources are also limited; they can’t all be focused on one person, unless it’s a school-enterprise.”

Zhou Buqi looked awkward and scratched his head. “There’s no need for the school to get involved with my little broken website, is there?”

Teacher Tian didn’t find it strange. She sighed, “So, you need to be mentally prepared. The school cannot support you indefinitely. Especially with emerging industries like the internet, the school leaders are quite cautious. I’d roughly estimate that the school will provide you with a maximum of 20M broadband support. Anything more, you’ll have to figure out yourself.”

According to the current design of Campus Network, without adding video and music, 20M of broadband could support approximately two hundred thousand users.

That’s really not much.

Wen Zhixia, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, saying softly, “Student Zhou Buqi, didn’t you establish an entrepreneurial club? It’s even expanded to other schools.”

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Yes, it’s the Yuanwei entrepreneurial club, launched alongside the Yuanwei milk tea shop.”

Wen Zhixia hesitated, then said, “I don’t really understand the internet, so I’m not sure if what I’m saying is correct. But couldn’t it be like this? If Campus Network grows significantly in the future, it naturally won’t be limited to just Beike University. You’re a joint venture of students from multiple universities, so you’ll need the collective support of a cluster of schools.”

Zhou Buqi immediately understood tacitly.

Beike can only support a maximum of 20M broadband, but he could solicit support from other schools!

If Campus Network truly grows large and strong, Beike University alone certainly wouldn’t be able to handle it, nor could it claim all the credit.

The size of one’s stomach determines one’s appetite. Beike wouldn’t be able to provide more support to Campus Network, so Zhou Buqi’s team could naturally apply to other schools for help, sharing some of the credit.

If Campus Network were jointly supported and founded by several polytechnic universities like Beike, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, would other schools not help under that name?

Domestic universities value not only academics but also political achievements.

For example, Peking University developed Founder, while Tsinghua University developed Tsinghua Unigroup, complementing each other.

Hmm!

This idea has potential!

Teacher Tian, despite her rich experience, didn’t have that relaxed expression between her brows. She shook her head and said, “It’s not that simple. As I said, major universities are quite cautious about emerging industries like the internet, and their support is limited. If it were a tangible hardware project, or a very respectable image project, it might receive more school support. There’s more of a competitive relationship between universities; simply relying on one Campus Network to transform the competitive relationship between major universities into a cooperative one is probably not enough.”

“It’s enough! It’s enough!”

Zhou Buqi looked relaxed. He had already made comprehensive considerations in his mind, with plans laid out for six months in advance.

Teacher Tian frowned, thinking he was too young and didn’t know the gravity of the situation.

However, this topic was somewhat sensitive, and as a Youth League Committee teacher, it wasn’t appropriate to dwell on it, so she didn’t press the issue further.

“Oh, right, you just said the entrepreneurial club was your idea?” Teacher Tian suddenly remembered something and asked.

Zhou Buqi smiled. “Yes, it was my idea, and I had Guo Pengfei lead it.”

Teacher Tian nodded, looking at him with a half-smile. “Do you have a conflict with Student Lü Hua?”

“Hmm?”

Zhou Buqi raised an eyebrow, a little surprised.

Teacher Tian smiled, took a folder from her drawer, pulled out a document, and handed it over. “This was just submitted by the university’s student union this morning.”

Zhou Buqi took it and instantly laughed in exasperation.

Lü Hua certainly had some tricks up his sleeve!

He actually thought of using the special relationship between the university’s student union and the Youth League Committee to request the Youth League Committee to ban the Yuanwei entrepreneurial club!

He provided a long list of high-sounding reasons, claiming that the entrepreneurial club interfered with the school’s various normal operations, teaching, and daily order, disobeyed the unified leadership of the university’s student union, was solely profit-driven, and so on.

Some of his claims were true.

School regulations stipulated that student clubs could not engage in profit-making business activities.

However, Zhou Buqi also had his reasons.

The entrepreneurial club merely provided students with part-time job opportunities, allowing them to gain experience and achieve all-round development in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor aspects. The business venues were the milk tea shop and Campus Network, which actually had no direct affiliation with the entrepreneurial club.

“In any case, be careful yourself.”

Teacher Tian didn’t seem to intend to delve deeper. She took out a pen, intending to reject the application.

A light bulb went off in Zhou Buqi’s mind, and he smiled. “Teacher Tian, how about I write it?”

“You write?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Teacher Tian smiled and handed him the pen.

It wasn’t a big deal to begin with, just some student antics.

Zhou Buqi took the pen and, in a firm tone, wrote: “Rejected! The university’s student union must learn self-reflection!”

Chapter 94: Like a Mad Dog

In any case, he had successfully solicited support again.

In the early stages of entrepreneurship, every bit saved was a bit earned.

Zhou Buqi was in a good mood. He went to the supermarket, bought a few bags of fruit and snacks, and carried them to find Wu Yu.

“Husband, you bought so much again.”

Wu Yu’s cheeks were flushed, and she was overjoyed.

She was tall, 1.7 meters in height. Standing on the curb, she could look Zhou Buqi directly in the eyes.

“Since I often take you out to check into a hotel room, I naturally have to win over your roommates, so they don’t make fun of you.”

“No way, they all say my boyfriend is considerate and gentle.”

“So, tonight?”

“Ah? No, my roommate is having a birthday tonight, and I need to be with her.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, “Oh, alright then. Do you want me to come?”

Wu Yu shook her head gently, a little smug. “No need. None of them have boyfriends, so it would be awkward if I brought mine.”

“Okay, be careful when you go out tonight. Call me if anything happens.”

“Got it!”

Wu Yu drew out her words, happily opened her arms, and hugged him briefly. Then, as if remembering something, she tilted her head and asked, “Husband, did you offend someone in the university’s student union?”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi was slightly startled. “How do you know?” he asked, puzzled.

Wu Yu’s expression changed slightly. “Really?”

“Who told you?”

“It was Sister Lin. This morning, the university’s student union contacted our faculty student union and said… a lot of nasty things about me, demanding that the faculty student union expel me.”

Zhou Buqi’s face darkened. Suppressing his anger, he asked, “What did they say?”

Wu Yu blushed and said, “They said I was having improper relationships and behaving immorally.”

“Nonsense! You’re my woman, what’s immoral about that?! Damn it, Lü Hua is really biting everywhere, like a mad dog!” Zhou Buqi was getting angry.

Wu Yu stuck out her tongue and said with a giggle, “Husband, don’t be angry. Sister Lin said the same thing and pushed back against the university’s student union. She didn’t agree.”

Zhou Buqi’s expression finally improved. “Good thing there are sensible people. By the way, who is that Sister Lin? The Chairman of your faculty student union?”

“Mm, the deputy. Actually, you know her.”

“Oh?”

“It’s Senior Sister Shi Jinglin!”

“It’s her?”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He couldn’t help but feel a bit more curious about this stunning beauty from the College of Arts and Sciences, whom he had never met but had heard so much about.

Wu Yu’s cheeks were slightly red, and she said shyly, “Didn’t you used to tease me, asking me to help you…? Later, we chatted online and got along really well, so she invited me to meet privately. You didn’t go, so I did.”

“You told her the entire sequence of events?”

“Mm, I didn’t know how to explain, so I just told her the truth. But Sister Lin was really nice; she didn’t get angry, she just laughed for a long time, and then… then we became good friends. We’ve been eating together these past few days, and we’ve even made plans to go see Xishan Qingxue together.”

Zhou Buqi said “Oh,” “So you’re like best friends now?”

“Best friends?”

The term wasn’t popular in that era, so Wu Yu paused for a moment before smiling sweetly. “Pretty much. Sister Lin takes really good care of me.”

…

Zhen Yu and Xu Baihui arrived.

They were carrying large backpacks.

They had come to reconcile the accounts.

In the past November, the bubble tea shop’s overall revenue dropped by 45%, with gross profit less than one hundred thousand. After deducting salaries, utility bills, and some taxes, the remaining money was just enough to support the opening of three new stores at Renmin University, Minzu University of China, and Normal University.

By December, the bubble tea shop planned to open five more stores: the Beihang University store, the China Agricultural University store, the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications store, the University of Finance and Economics store, and the Peking University store, which was facing significant difficulties in site selection.

It was currently the off-season for bubble tea, and the holidays were approaching, making it not a good time to open new stores.

Therefore, the bubble tea shop’s expansion was relatively conservative.

Upon returning next semester, March and April would be the real window for opening new branches. Conservatively estimated, another sixty branches were planned for The Capital region.

Each store required an investment of twenty thousand yuan, so sixty stores would be one million two hundred thousand yuan!

The financial pressure was considerable.

Loans?

That path was blocked.

In those days, it wasn’t enough to have a good business to secure a loan; one needed connections, influence, or policy support.

This wasn’t even the most crucial point.

In those days, the catering industry was almost completely cut off from bank loans. Some businesses, facing broken capital chains, would rather borrow from loan sharks than go to a bank.

Why?

Loans required account verification.

If the books looked bad, they couldn’t get a loan.

If the books looked good… that was even more troublesome. With such beautiful accounts, had they paid their taxes?

No business in the catering industry was truly ‘clean.’ Even five-star hotels dared to openly refuse to issue invoices.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi still had his seven major side businesses.

The corporate intermediary project failed, resulting in a loss of twenty thousand yuan;

The training institution project failed, resulting in a loss of eight hundred yuan;

The group buying project didn’t take off, but fortunately, the model was found, earning three hundred yuan;

The publishing project was still ongoing, with a total investment of twenty-two thousand yuan so far and no output;

The meal delivery project was starting to take shape; it was flourishing at Minzu University of China, and operations had also begun at the nearby Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing Foreign Studies University, yielding a profit of two hundred yuan;

The dormitory convenience store project was probably the most successful, having expanded to forty-four dormitory buildings across nineteen universities, with a profit of… fifty-six thousand yuan last month!

As for the table advertisement project, it had just launched in December, with payments due at the end of the month.

A quick summary showed that things were going quite well, and overall, they were making money.

However, Zhou Buqi had said when he encouraged everyone to pursue the seven major side businesses that any losses would be his, and profits would be split fifty-fifty. Calculating it this way, he was still at a loss.

Zhen Yu closed the ledger and said very seriously, “Boss Zhou, these seven projects are all under the unified leadership of the Entrepreneurship Alliance. The accounts shouldn’t be divided privately.”

“What do you mean?” Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes.

Zhen Yu said, “I think the finances should be consolidated. If there’s a loss, the Entrepreneurship Alliance should bear it, and if there’s a profit, it should also be handed over to the Entrepreneurship Alliance for distribution.”

This was a smart person doing a smart thing.

Zhou Buqi provided the ideas and the startup capital, and everyone worked vigorously for half a month. Some made money, some broke even, but only he incurred losses. Was that fair?

“But this was all agreed upon initially,” Zhou Buqi said, feeling a bit awkward.

Xu Baihui said bluntly, “Alright, stop pretending! Sister Zhen is sincere. Who’s like you, full of so many schemes? Fifty-fifty split? What a big swindler! Just like how you conned Liu Wenbo back then, saying you’d give him fifteen percent of the shares. Did you give them to him?”

Zhou Buqi’s face darkened. “How can that be the same? Liu Wenbo made a mistake! Xu Baihui, honestly, do you think I, Zhou Buqi, am a stingy person?”

Xu Baihui pouted and said sourly, “Who knows if you’re stingy or not? Wu Yu would know, wouldn’t she?”

So, she was jealous.

Zhou Buqi sighed deeply. “Senior Sister Zhen Yu, Sister Baihui, let me be honest with you two. At this stage, we’re short on cash. The expansion of the bubble tea shops alone will require at least over one million yuan. The development of Campus Network also needs millions to start. I wish I could split every penny in half.”

“Sister Baihui?”

Xu Baihui’s eyes lit up, and her face lit up with a beautiful smile.

It was the first time she had heard him address her so intimately.

Then she immediately put on a straight face and lightly snorted, “Who’s a ‘sister’? I’m older than you! Call me ‘Sister’!”

Chapter 95: Universities are Goldmines

Canceling the agreement to split profits fifty-fifty meant Zhen Yu was the biggest loser.

The revenue generated by the table advertisement project was unimaginable.

Led by Zhen Yu, the team managed to secure spots in 72 universities and 132 dining halls across The Capital, with a total of over one hundred thousand tables!

Based on the different school conditions and dining hall facilities, the rental fee for each table varied slightly, ranging from 2 to 5 yuan.

However, when resold to advertisers, the price was surprisingly high.

Between 15 and 25 yuan!

From current statistics, as long as advertisers don’t default on their payments, the table advertisement project can bring in two million yuan in monthly income!

Even Zhou Buqi, who had lived two lives and was the initiator of this project, couldn’t help but gasp in surprise upon hearing such a revenue estimate.

It was terrifying!

As long as you find the right market, even an inconspicuous place like a university dining hall can yield substantial profits.

This was the power of monopoly.

Two million yuan divided among 72 schools meant less than thirty thousand yuan per school, which wasn’t eye-catching and not much higher than the income from some other university entrepreneurship projects.

But once the initial layout was completed, slowly brewing, and then striking to achieve a market monopoly across The Capital in one fell swoop, the earning potential became evident.

A single school negotiating with businesses would certainly not get as good a price as 72 universities negotiating together.

Zhen Yu was probably also intimidated.

A monthly income of millions?

This money was too hot to handle.

Within the Entrepreneurship Alliance, only Zhou Buqi could receive such a large sum of money.

If she took it, she wouldn’t be able to get along with everyone.

Forgetting righteousness for gain was not in her nature.

“While there are certainly financial factors that bring us together, we mostly just want to earn some tuition and living expenses for school. More than that, it’s about passion and ideals.”

Zhen Yu’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, especially soft and pleasant to listen to.

Zhou Buqi chuckled, “My girlfriend is Wu Yu, and you’re Zhen Yu. One is ‘speechless’ (Wu Yu), and the other is ‘true words’ (Zhen Yu). What a coincidence.”

“Alright, we should meet sometime.”

Zhen Yu giggled, and the gloom and melancholy that had lingered in her brows for the past month or two were gone.

It seemed she truly had the makings of a strong woman.

The success of her career had enriched her spiritual world.

Zhou Buqi said awkwardly, “I’m just worried others might have ideas.”

Zhen Yu smiled, “They definitely won’t. The only project making money right now is Meng Houkun’s dormitory convenience store. I’ve talked to him, and he completely agrees with my suggestion.”

“He agreed?”

“Yes, he earned fifty-six thousand last month. He said he could hand over fifty thousand and keep six thousand to smooth things over with suppliers and the convenience stores. Christmas is coming soon, so he wants to buy some small gifts.”

“Not bad.”

“He’s quite arrogant now, saying his girlfriend has given up on that discount card project and is following him instead.”

Zhou Buqi laughed in exasperation, “That kid, that’s all he’s good for.”

He said that, but in his heart, he was extremely satisfied.

It seemed the cohesion of this team was very strong!

Uh, Liu Wenbo was an exception.

Xu Baihui pouted and scoffed, “He’s taking advantage and still acting innocent.”

Zhou Buqi was helpless, “I didn’t offend you, did I? You’ve been a bit targeted towards me lately.”

“If you break up with Wu Yu, I won’t target you anymore,” Xu Baihui’s expression changed dramatically as she said with a grin.

Zhou Buqi shook his head, “That won’t do. I’m a very responsible person. She’s given me everything, so I definitely have to be responsible for her for life.”

Xu Baihui clearly wasn’t a proper young lady anymore, so he used these words to hint at her.

Sure enough, her mood became a little downcast, and she lowered her head, remaining silent.

Zhen Yu sighed, not knowing what to say.

…

That evening, Zhou Buqi called Meng Houkun out for dinner.

As Zhen Yu had said, Meng Houkun was full of vigor, his spirit radiating pride. “Boss Zhou, you don’t know, I showed my dad last month’s income statement, and it almost scared him to death!”

Zhou Buqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Is that how you talk about your own father?”

Meng Houkun said indifferently, “It’s fine, he’s got a tough life.”

Zhou Buqi twitched his lips.

The two ate Korean barbecue. Meng Houkun was very excited, looking up and ordering a few bottles of beer, saying enthusiastically, “Seriously, I never thought opening a convenience store could be so profitable! Boss Zhou, how about we open a supermarket? The retail industry is very lucrative!”

“Oh? You’ve had an epiphany?”

“Yes!”

Meng Houkun teared up, full of emotion, “I never knew before, but now that I’ve delved into the industry, I realize how huge the price differences are. In The Capital, there are three levels of wholesalers, and schools deal with the third-level wholesalers. Take Coca-Cola, for example. A plastic bottle costs 2.8 yuan, the third-level wholesaler’s supply price is 2.3 yuan, so the retail point has a profit of 0.5 yuan.”

Zhou Buqi nodded, “Hmm, a 20% gross profit margin, that’s about right.”

Meng Houkun scoffed, “You’re talking about bulk products. The profit for these small snack items is really high. The retail point sells for 2.8 yuan, the third-level wholesale price is 2.3 yuan, the second-level wholesale price is 1.9 yuan, and the first-level wholesale price is only 1.6 yuan.”

Zhou Buqi smiled, “The beverage industry is pretty much the same. By the way, what’s your supply price to the convenience stores?”

“For Coke? 2.5 yuan.”

“You’re really greedy.”

“Is this greedy?”

Meng Houkun was indignant, “Before this, some dorms also had convenience stores, but they had to go to nearby wholesale markets every now and then to get goods, which was time-consuming and laborious, and required transportation. Their purchase prices might not even be lower than what I offer.”

Zhou Buqi nodded.

That was true.

The biggest advantage of these chain dormitory convenience stores was door-to-door delivery, solving the biggest supply problem for university students.

However, it was also true that he was greedy.

A bottle of Coke sold for 2.8 yuan, the convenience store earned 0.3 yuan, and Meng Houkun earned 0.9 yuan…

No wonder he earned over fifty thousand last month.

“There are two things I need to tell you.”

“Hmm.”

“I initially thought the convenience stores could open all over The Capital, at least like the table advertisements. In reality, the progress is quite difficult.”

“From the school side?”

Meng Houkun nodded, “Yes, the students are certainly very supportive. In any dorm building, as long as I stand there, at least over a dozen dorm rooms will rush to cooperate with me. The key is that some schools don’t allow it. Key universities are fine, with very few restrictions. But ordinary colleges are very strict.”

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “That’s not surprising. Dormitory convenience stores essentially compete for profits with the supermarkets on campus. The lower-tier the university, the greater the internal vested interests. The campus supermarkets are often run by relatives of school leaders, so they’re bound to impose restrictions.”

“However, 50 universities are guaranteed, which means at least 200 convenience stores can be opened. If each convenience store earns one thousand yuan per month on average, 200 stores would still bring in two hundred thousand yuan in income.”

“200 convenience stores…” Zhou Buqi frowned, “Delivery will also be a huge task.”

Meng Houkun said, “That’s the second thing I wanted to tell you. We need dedicated delivery personnel.”

“Alright.”

“And a vehicle.”

“Huh?”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him, “You want to buy a car?”

“It’s a delivery truck.” Meng Houkun felt a little guilty and gave a light cough, “I’ve consulted with suppliers. A reliable box truck won’t cost much, about fifty thousand yuan should be enough.”

“You’ve been waiting for me here, haven’t you!” Zhou Buqi immediately laughed in exasperation, “Just squeezed fifty thousand yuan out of you, and now you’re thinking of getting it back?”

Meng Houkun said sheepishly, “It’s also to promote development.”

Zhou Buqi pondered for a moment, then said calmly, “Later, we’ll buy one under the name of the Milk Tea Shop. In the mornings, it can also transport fruit for the Milk Tea Shop.”

The Milk Tea Shop was a company-like formal operation.

Buying a vehicle under the company’s name meant the vehicle could be counted as a company asset, depreciating 25% annually and entering the tax deduction calculation.

In other words, after four years, this vehicle would essentially be obtained for free.

Some rich second-generation elites, when opening companies, loved to buy luxury cars, dozens or even hundreds of them, and barely drove them. After four or five years, they would start selling them as used cars, and thanks to their own fame, the car prices wouldn’t drop too much. They might lose billions in business, but they made a huge profit from luxury cars, taking full advantage of the country’s policies.

Meng Houkun was delighted, full of fighting spirit for a big undertaking.

Zhou Buqi said seriously, “Dormitory convenience stores are a rigid demand. As long as they are operated reasonably, there’s a huge market space. There are nearly three thousand universities nationwide. Even if we open chain stores in one thousand five hundred universities, we can open at least four thousand convenience stores. In the short term, internet businesses are unprofitable, but retail is a cash cow.”

“Expand nationwide?” Meng Houkun’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Zhou Buqi glanced at him and smiled, “Lost confidence? Don’t worry, the foundation has been laid. As long as the industry consolidation is excellent, we can achieve this within three years.”

“Industry consolidation?”

“Led by Campus Network, we’ll integrate retail, meal delivery, and milk tea online and offline… Let’s put it this way, retail can be integrated with the Milk Tea Shop, and delivering fruit won’t delay delivering snacks. Avoiding meal times, delivery personnel can help transport food to various dorm buildings on campus.”

Meng Houkun understood, exclaiming, “So Campus Network will not only have a meal ordering system but also an ordering system for dormitory convenience stores?”

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “And a financial system! As the business grows, there are too many incidents with cash transactions. Online payment is the general trend.”

“Campus Network…” Meng Houkun murmured, losing his voice, “I finally understand your ambition for Campus Network. You want to unify all universities nationwide.”

Zhou Buqi narrowed his eyes and said faintly, “At least for the next seven or eight years, university students and graduates will be the main target audience for internet products. Mastering this group means seizing the next era of the internet. Habits can be cultivated.”

Meng Houkun added, “And talent! I dare say, if Campus Network really succeeds, talent from universities across the country will flock to it.”

Just then, Zhou Buqi’s phone rang. It was Wu Yu calling. She had gone to celebrate a roommate’s birthday.

“Did you eat cake?”

“Husband! Come quickly! Li Hongrui, that jerk, is harassing us!”

“Where are you?”

“At Qian’gei KTV near West Gate.”

Chapter 96: Hero Saves the Beauty

“I told my uncle, and he’s sending police officers over now. Boss Zhou, don’t worry! Nothing will happen! If anyone dares to harm our sister-in-law, I guarantee…”

“Alright, shut up already. Which eye of yours saw me worrying?”

Zhou Buqi was walking towards Qian’gei KTV and glared at Meng Houkun, annoyed.

He and Li Hongrui had known each other since middle school, and he knew exactly what kind of person Li Hongrui was.

Full of bad ideas and a dissolute personality, but definitely not a hoodlum.

He wouldn’t do something like forcibly grabbing and touching girls.

When they arrived, it was indeed as he expected.

The private room was crowded, with a large cake on the table. Eight girls sat to one side, looking indifferent, occasionally making sarcastic remarks.

On Li Hongrui’s side, there were four boys, all looking fawning and obsequious.

Just like thick-skinned simps chasing girls.

Zhou Buqi entered, his face cold, pushing the door open.

Wu Yu, sitting on the side, jumped up excitedly, “Husband, you’re here!”

The girls next to her also had sparkling eyes. They were all Wu Yu’s roommates and friends, and they had often enjoyed the fruits and snacks Zhou Buqi sent over. They looked him up and down with curiosity and delight.

Li Hongrui was startled and quickly said, “Second Brother, don’t misunderstand…”

Before he could finish, Zhou Buqi picked up a bottle of beer from the table and smashed it on the floor with a “bang.”

The girls let out gasps of alarm.

“Damn it! Are you never going to stop?”

Zhou Buqi picked up another bottle of beer and walked towards Li Hongrui.

Li Hongrui, outwardly fierce but inwardly cowardly, his face pale, huddled in the corner of the sofa and said in terror, “Second Brother, you… what are you going to do? You… don’t mess around…”

Zhou Buqi said with a gloomy, cold face, “Li Erdan, you’re quite something! In the morning, you tried to get her expelled from school, and in the evening, you come to Qian’gei KTV to harass her. Your Li family really produces talent, huh?”

“Second Brother, don’t make false accusations!”

Li Hongrui was not the type of hoodlum who got into fights in society. His living environment was relatively privileged, and he was immediately intimidated by Zhou Buqi’s thuggish aura.

Unexpectedly, a boy in a leather jacket next to him slammed the table and stood up, looking very displeased, and shouted, “Who the hell are you? Looking for trouble?”

“Oh?”

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.

At this moment, a girl behind him angrily shouted, “Zhou Buqi, he’s the one causing trouble! We came to celebrate Sister Weiwei’s birthday, and Wang Bin shamelessly chased us here. We refused, but he brought people to scare us.”

Zhou Buqi turned his head to look at Wu Yu.

Wu Yu blinked her big eyes, looking innocent, her earlobes flushed red.

Zhou Buqi immediately understood.

Today’s main culprit was probably Wang Bin, the jacket guy, and Li Hongrui was just an accomplice.

“Heh! Birds of a feather flock together, so it’s no surprise to find a scoundrel among them.”

Zhou Buqi wasn’t afraid at all. What could a few college students do?

He didn’t hesitate, directly kicking out a leg. With a “sizzle,” the glass table in the private room was kicked half a meter away. He looked provocative, narrowing his eyes: “Brother is causing trouble today, what are you going to do about it?”

After speaking, he coolly pulled out a pack of Furongwang from his pocket, took one out, and lit it.

“Wow! Little Yu, your boyfriend is so handsome!”

“Mm-hmm! Like Chow Yun-fat!”

“Sister Little Yu, you’re so lucky.”

“I’m so envious of you!”

…

On this side, the boys were yelling about fighting, while the girls on the other side were infatuated, their eyes sparkling.

Wu Yu was shyly delighted and secretly pleased, giggling, “No, he’s just average.”

Zhou Buqi’s kick to the table was a bit too forceful, attracting the attention of a waiter outside the door, who pushed the door open and said unhappily, “Sing properly, you’ll have to pay if you break anything!”

Wang Bin shouted, “Call your Manager Wang! Manager Wang Qiang!”

“Hmm?”

The male waiter noticed something amiss and left without a word.

Zhou Buqi couldn’t help but chuckle, saying disdainfully, “Calling for backup? Fine, I’ll wait here.”

With that, he walked to the other side and sat down next to Wu Yu.

The girls were infatuated, cheering and chattering, making it very lively.

Even Meng Houkun received heroic treatment, surrounded by the girls.

In contrast, the four boys opposite them were left in the cold, with no girls to talk to.

Li Hongrui seemed to want to leave and said something to Wang Bin.

Wang Bin had a fierce expression, patting his chest and promising something. He looked at Zhou Buqi with disdain and mockery, as if victory was already in his grasp.

Zhou Buqi sneered inwardly and smiled at the girls next to him, “Who is Sister Weiwei?”

At this moment, a girl with a flushed face, shyly delighted and surprised, walked over, holding two glasses of beer. “I’m Dong Xiaowei, Wu Yu’s roommate. I’d like to toast you, thank you for coming to help today, and… and for your fruits.”

Zhou Buqi laughed, “You’re too kind, too kind.”

With that, the two clinked glasses and drank them down.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wang Bin’s eyes blazing with anger.

Zhou Buqi asked, “What’s going on with that Wang Bin?”

Wu Yu, nestled in his arms, said angrily, “He’s from Li Hongrui’s dorm. Li Hongrui used to chase me, right? A few times, he followed along and took a liking to Sister Weiwei. He’s been pestering her ever since, like a persistent pest, so annoying.”

Zhou Buqi whispered, “Want to make him furious?”

“How?”

Dong Xiaowei seemed tempted.

Zhou Buqi said in her ear, “I’ll put my arm around you, just go along with it.”

“Ah?”

Before Dong Xiaowei could react, his hand was already reaching over, wrapping around her waist.

Dong Xiaowei, who had never been in a relationship, had never seen such a scene!

Her face flushed red instantly, and her heart pounded like a deer.

More importantly, she felt uneasy!

Wu Yu, his actual girlfriend, was right there. How could she face anyone like this?

Sure enough, Wu Yu pouted, her expression turning sour.

Zhou Buqi didn’t care about that. With his left arm around Wu Yu and his right arm around Dong Xiaowei, he had a woman on each arm, fragrant warmth in his embrace, feeling utterly delightful.

The other girls saw this scene, first widening their eyes in surprise, then chattering and giggling, fooling around.

Some girls laughed and asked, “Zhou Buqi, aren’t you too greedy? You want both flowers from our dorm?”

“That’s right, why don’t you come too? Sit on my lap?”

“Get lost!”

Zhou Buqi was about to tease them a bit more when, on the other side, Wang Bin, unable to bear it any longer, jumped up again, pointing at Zhou Buqi and shouting furiously, “Kid! You let Weiwei go!”

Zhou Buqi pulled Dong Xiaowei even tighter, his eyes contemptuous, “Don’t show off! Showing off truly brings down lightning!”

“You motherf…”

Wang Bin rolled up his sleeves and was about to charge over, but Li Hongrui pulled him back and whispered something in his ear.

Wang Bin glared fiercely at Zhou Buqi for a few moments, then said, “Today, I’ll give Brother Li some face, otherwise I’d have…”

Before he could finish, Zhou Buqi disdainfully interrupted, “Don’t give anyone face! Li Erdan, you get lost too!”

Li Hongrui said angrily, “Second Brother, what the hell are you showing off for?”

At this moment, the private room door opened, and a young man in a formal suit, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, walked in, frowning at Wang Bin, “What are you doing?”

Wang Bin immediately became excited, gave Zhou Buqi a provocative look, and shouted, “Brother, this kid damaged public property and smashed bottles! How much do you think he should be fined?”

“Hmm?”

The young man glanced at the scattered broken glass on the floor and turned to look at Zhou Buqi.

Wang Bin added, saying fiercely, “Brother, this kid has money, make him pay! If he doesn’t pay, send him in! Damn it, trying to show off with me!”

He looked at Dong Xiaowei, his beloved, nestled in Zhou Buqi’s arms, and his heart felt like it was bleeding.

The young man said indifferently, “According to our rules, you’ll have to pay three thousand.”

As soon as he said this, the girls exploded, complaining that it was Wang Bin and his friends who came to harass them, so why should they pay?

Zhou Buqi was very disdainful, glancing at him, “Who are you?”

The young man said, “I’m the manager here. You can call me Manager Wang.”

“Heh!”

Zhou Buqi curled his lips, then continued to lower his head and tease Dong Xiaowei in his arms, making her playfully complain.

Wang Bin was furious to the point of spitting blood, roaring, “Brother! Hurry up! Where are your security guards?”

Manager Wang said with a cold face, “Student, I demand that you pay immediately, otherwise, I’ll call the police and notify your school!”

“No need to call the police, we’ll turn ourselves in.”

Meng Houkun answered a call, then stood up with a laugh.

Zhou Buqi heard this and understood. He took one girl by each hand, stood up, and smiled, “Senior Students, let’s go. If Manager Wang wants compensation, he can ask for it at the police station.”

Manager Wang said gravely, “You’re not allowed to leave!”

“We’re going to turn ourselves in, do you dare stop us?” Zhou Buqi looked at him with a half-smile.

At this moment, the private room door opened again, and four or five young men, all about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, walked in.

The leader had a serious expression and said gravely, “Police inspection! What’s everyone doing?”

Manager Wang’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly put on a fawning expression, “Brother Zheng? Why are you here?”

“I heard you’re illegally detaining people here?”

“Ah? No! Absolutely not!”

Manager Wang was so scared that cold sweat immediately broke out.

Meng Houkun said indifferently, “Illegal detention is hard to define, but Manager Wang here wants to extort three thousand yuan from us. How can a few college students like us come up with that much money?”

Manager Wang’s legs turned to jelly, knowing he was in trouble.

Among these students, there was a tough nut to crack!

With a manager and police officers present, the girls were a little scared, huddling behind and not daring to step forward.

Zhou Buqi wanted to take them away quickly, so he stepped forward and said, “Brother Zheng, right? I’ll trouble you with today’s matter. That Wang Bin committed sexual harassment, violating public order regulations. This Manager Wang is his brother, suspected of extortion and illegal detention. That’s how it is. I have female classmates here, so we won’t stay.”

Brother Zheng looked at him a few times, then at Meng Houkun, and nodded, “Alright.”

Li Hongrui was terrified. Were they really going to the police station? He quickly shouted, “Zhou Buqi, that’s enough, don’t go too far!”

Zhou Buqi gave him an indifferent glance, couldn’t even be bothered with him, then turned and smiled, “Senior Students, let’s go. These scum of society definitely won’t escape the severe punishment of the law.”

On the sofa, Wang Bin’s face was deathly pale, scared stiff.

Sexual harassment?

Will I be expelled?

Chapter 97: It’s Time to Act

“These days, police handling of cases isn’t very by-the-book, especially for minor scuffles like this. They always end up with a fine.”

“The defendant pays for peace, the plaintiff gets to vent their anger, and the police collect some money. Everyone’s happy.”

“Li Hongrui, however, was furious.”

“How many times has this happened?”

“It seemed every time he encountered Zhou Buqi, he was the one who ended up unlucky.”

“This made him very indignant!”

“He wanted revenge!”

“This time, he absolutely had to make some noise!”

“The next day, he heard that the entrepreneurial club was making a move, so he eagerly went to find Lü Hua.”

““Senior, it’s time to act!””

““What’s wrong?””

““The entrepreneurial club is gathering. They say they’re going to start some delivery service and are looking for seven or eight part-time delivery staff.””

““Delivery?””

“Lü Hua’s expression subtly changed, his heart churning like a stormy sea.”

“This kid, Zhou Buqi, is really too much, isn’t he?”

“First flyers, then table advertisements, plus the Milk Tea Shop and Campus Network. Now he’s even started a delivery service.”

“What does he want to do?”

“Rule the university for all eternity?”

“Li Hongrui said in a deep voice,”Senior, this time, we absolutely cannot let him succeed. It’s winter now, and many people like to stay in their dorms. Once the delivery service takes off, it will definitely become very popular, and that would be a major blow to our university’s student union.””

“Lü Hua’s face was grim, looking a bit troubled.”This matter isn’t within the university’s student union’s scope of authority. It wouldn’t be justified.””

““There is! Their entrepreneurial club isn’t in line with regulations; it should be disbanded! Haven’t the application documents already been submitted?””

““They haven’t been issued yet.””

““Then go get them quickly! Senior, opportunity knocks but once. I heard they even brought in three or four students from other universities to guide our university’s students on delivery.””

“Lü Hua’s eyes lit up,”There are students from other universities?“”

“Li Hongrui said,”Yes! Quite a few!“”

“Lü Hua stroked his chin, slowly pondering,”If that’s the case, then it really is an opportunity!“”

““Senior, act quickly!” Li Hongrui urged, unable to wait, very excited.”

“Lü Hua hesitated for a moment longer, then his eyes snapped open, and he coldly snorted,”Where are they?“”

““They’re over at the Student Activity Center.””

““Good! Gather the people! We’re going over there now!””

“Li Hongrui was very excited,”No problem!“”

““Wait a moment.””

“Lü Hua took out his phone and made two more calls. One call was to tell his subordinate to quickly go to the Youth League Committee and retrieve the document to disband the Yuanwei Milk Tea Shop, to publicly humiliate Zhou Buqi.”

“The second call was to his deputy, telling them to quickly gather people and go to the Student Activity Center to block Zhou Buqi, so that kid wouldn’t escape!”

““Since we’re acting, let’s be decisive! You take a few people directly to the Dining Hall and tear down all those table advertisements. Hmph! This business should belong to our university’s student union!””

“In Lü Hua’s eyes, striking at Zhou Buqi was secondary; making money was the most important thing.”

““That’s easy, isn’t it? No problem!””

“Li Hongrui laughed heartily, his face flushed with excitement.”

“…”

“Beijing Institute of Technology is near the Third Ring Road, and Beike is near the Fourth Ring Road. Both areas have many residential houses.”

“Hidden within these residential areas were some affordable and good-quality home-style restaurants. They served home-cooked meals, essentially just private homes with a few tables set up as eateries, primarily catering to students. They operated without licenses, but no one really bothered them.”

“Therefore, partnering the delivery service with these local eateries was perfectly suitable.”

“Once this business process was thoroughly understood, it could be replicated and promoted.”

“Zhang Yinlei had already launched the service with his team in the areas around Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Minzu University of China. They hadn’t made much money, but their momentum was good, and daily order volumes were rising.”

“Now, the delivery service was to be expanded to Beike.”

“Zhou Buqi personally took charge. Guo Pengfei gathered all the students from the entrepreneurial club, calling on everyone to participate as part-time delivery staff. The workload was light, and earning two or three hundred yuan a month was not an issue.”

“Unlike part-time work in a research lab, this didn’t require any special skills.”

“More importantly, during deliveries, they could meet many girls and even get their phone numbers, which was considered a hidden perk.”

“Just as everyone was eagerly signing up, uninvited guests arrived.”

“Lü Hua appeared, aggressively leading seven or eight people.”

““Lü Hua, you keep showing up every other day. What’s wrong with you?” Guo Pengfei, unable to bear it any longer, immediately cursed.”

“Lü Hua coldly said,”He who has a clear conscience fears no knock at the door…“”

““You damn well know you’re a ghost, don’t you? Get lost!” Guo Pengfei showed no respect for this university’s student union Chairman.”

“One of Lü Hua’s subordinates sneered,”Guo Pengfei, I know you have some ability, but don’t forget, this is Beike! We are Beike’s university’s student union!“”

““What about the university’s student union? Is it impressive?””

““Yes, it’s impressive, what about it?””

““Heh.””

“Seeing Zhou Buqi’s calm expression, Guo Pengfei nodded indifferently,”Alright, let’s see what tricks you’re going to play.””

“Unlike influential figures like Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei, for the other ordinary students, the pressure from the university’s student union was still considerable.”

“They all fell silent, quietly observing how the situation would unfold.”

“Lü Hua was quite satisfied with the current atmosphere, at least he had subdued the scene. He said indifferently,”Everyone present here is from the Yuanwei entrepreneurial club, right? Perfect, I’ll take this opportunity to inform everyone. The entrepreneurial club has severely interfered with the school’s various normal operations, teaching, and daily order, leading to a large number of truancy incidents. Furthermore, it has colluded with some people of unknown origin from outside the university to engage in profit-making business activities. All of these severely violate the university’s regulations for student organizations. The Youth League Committee Teacher has already decided to disband the Yuanwei entrepreneurial club. If you continue to gather like this, it will be an illegal assembly, and you will face disciplinary action from the university.””

““Ah?””

“As expected, everyone exchanged glances, intimidated.”

“That serious?”

“Zhou Buqi chuckled, crossing his arms, and coldly said,”Lü Hua, did you put an enema solution on your mouth? Spewing nonsense?“”

“Lü Hua angrily said,”Zhou Buqi, do you even count as a university student? Do you have any basic decency?“”

““Decency? You’re not worthy to talk about decency!””

““Zhou Buqi, I don’t want to discuss anything else with you right now. I’m telling you, your entrepreneurial club has been disbanded. If you dare to organize students like this again, you’ll be inciting negative emotions! At that time, everyone, including you, will face disciplinary action!””

““Do you think I was raised to be easily scared?””

“Zhou Buqi’s face showed disdain.”

“Lü Hua coldly snorted,”You can try me!“”

“Guo Pengfei narrowed his eyes and said indifferently,”Lü Hua, you said the entrepreneurial club has been disbanded? I’m the Head, how come I don’t know? If it were truly disbanded, the Youth League Committee would have notified me already. You’re just spewing nonsense here, publicly defecating. We find it quite smelly!“”

“Only then did the others react.”

“That’s right!”

“Words alone mean nothing, where’s the proof?”

“Just because you’re the university’s student union Chairman doesn’t mean whatever you say goes, does it? You’re not the Principal!”

“The atmosphere grew a bit restless.”

“Lü Hua was displeased. He took a deep breath and loudly declared,”You want proof? Fine! I’ve already sent someone to the Youth League Committee. They’ll bring the Youth League Committee Teacher’s approval document over shortly!“”

Chapter 98: The Student Union’s Thunderous Tactics

Even though Zhou Buqi was at the peak of his power, with the Milk Tea Shop running smoothly and Campus Network rising forcefully, in the eyes of ordinary students, the Chairman of the university’s student union was still more formidable.

Especially now, Lü Hua’s stance was so firm, and he had even brought people right to their doorstep, which gave off an even stronger aura of being determined to get it.

The entrepreneurial club’s members felt a bit disheartened.

They had thought that once this delivery service was promoted, they could compete for part-time positions, and maybe even find a partner because of it.

But then they ran into this unexpected situation.

The entrepreneurial club was going to be disbanded!

This was too regrettable.

A female student who worked part-time at the Milk Tea Shop quietly walked up to Guo Pengfei and whispered, “Head, can we still work part-time at the Milk Tea Shop later?”

“Of course,” Guo Pengfei was a bit perplexed.

“Oh, that’s good. I thought if the entrepreneurial club was disbanded, I wouldn’t be able to work part-time anymore.”

“Who said the club was going to be disbanded?”

“Chairman Lü…”

“Don’t listen to him!”

Guo Pengfei had no respect for Lü Hua; instead, his heart was filled with disdain.

In his opinion, Zhou Buqi could easily crush Lü Hua with just a pinky finger.

The only reason he hadn’t acted was out of disdain.

A moment later, it grew chaotic outside.

The university’s student union members shouted, “They’re here! They’re here!”

Lü Hua was greatly encouraged. He provocatively glanced at Zhou Buqi, only to see him with a calm expression, giggling and chatting lively with two girls.

“Hmph! Gloating!”

Lü Hua scoffed contemptuously in his heart. He turned around and saw that it wasn’t the subordinate who went to the Youth League Committee to get the documents, but Li Hongrui.

“So fast?” Lü Hua was a little surprised.

Li Hongrui said triumphantly, “It was easy. One Dining Hall only took a few minutes. Now, both Dining Halls belong to us!”

“Good!”

Lü Hua clenched his fists, as if he could see stacks of banknotes rolling in.

He was a fourth-year undergraduate.

If he didn’t seize this opportunity as Chairman of the university’s student union to make some extra money, when would he ever get another chance?

Zhou Buqi also saw Li Hongrui and couldn’t help but laugh, “Li Erdan, you didn’t spend many days in there, did you? Looks like you spent a lot of money?”

“What nonsense are you spouting!”

Li Hongrui’s face flushed red as he quickly tried to explain, then stiffly changed the subject, “I’m telling you, starting today, your entrepreneurial club is gone. The table advertisement project will be taken over by the university’s student union!”

Zhou Buqi felt like he had heard a joke.

Other students, however, were increasingly shocked.

The table advertisement project was snatched?

The university’s student union was going to completely wipe out the entrepreneurial club.

This was troublesome now.

It seemed that in university, the student union was still more powerful. No matter how impressive a student club was, it was no match for the student union. If only they had known, they would have joined the student union earlier…

Just then, a hurried shout came from outside: “You few, stop right there!”

It was a square-faced uncle in his forties, running with sweat on his forehead, his face ashen and very angry.

Lü Hua was stunned. What was going on?

Li Hongrui quietly explained that he was the person in charge of dining hall logistics. When they went to the Dining Hall to remove the table advertisements just now, he had tried every means to stop them, and now he had chased them all the way here.

Lü Hua smiled, puffed out his chest, and walked over. He gave a light cough and said loudly, “Sir, I am the Chairman of the university’s student union. My name is Lü Hua. If you have anything, you can tell me.”

“I don’t care what student union you are, I just want to ask you, why are you removing my advertisements?” The square-faced uncle was furious, determined to get an explanation.

Lü Hua calmly said, “Because those advertisements do not comply with school regulations, they must be removed.”

“Nonsense!” The square-faced uncle glared, “The Dining Hall is a partnership we contracted. We already agreed with the school that the Dining Hall would be under our management, not related to your student union!”

Lü Hua’s face turned purple from the scolding. His tone became cold and heavy, “The Dining Hall’s table advertisements were put up by the entrepreneurial club. However, the Youth League Committee has already decided to disband the entrepreneurial club. This means those table advertisements do not comply with school regulations. Of course, we are not trying to interrupt the Dining Hall’s business. Next, the table advertisement project will be taken over by the university’s student union. The money the Dining Hall is supposed to earn will not be reduced by a single cent.”

At this moment, Zhou Buqi walked over, smiling, “If I remember correctly, the table advertisement project should have signed a contract with the Dining Hall. As Party B, if the Dining Hall fails to protect the table advertisements, resulting in non-natural damage to the stickers, they must compensate five yuan per sticker per day. For Beike’s two Dining Halls, according to the contract, they would have to compensate at least five thousand yuan, right?”

Lü Hua’s heart tightened, and his expression changed. He shouted, “Zhou Buqi, don’t spread alarmist rumors here! The entrepreneurial club is a non-compliant club, and your contract is a non-compliant contract, it will not be recognized.”

“You say it won’t be recognized and it won’t be recognized?” Zhou Buqi sneered, an indescribable mockery in his eyes, “Who do you think you are?”

Lü Hua said fiercely, “Zhou Buqi, you’re too arrogant! Today, I’m going to curb your arrogance! I’ll make you understand whose domain Beike truly is!”

Zhou Buqi snorted, full of disdain, “Alright, just wait and see.”

Everyone else was stunned.

It was as if they were witnessing a grand drama.

Tense, exciting, back and forth…

How wonderful!

They hadn’t expected Zhou Buqi to not lose ground in the slightest in front of Lü Hua!

Even if the entrepreneurial club was truly disbanded in the end, as long as this scene got out today, Zhou Buqi would gain popularity.

Clashing head-on with the Chairman of the university’s student union.

Truly impressive!

The square-faced uncle was a simple man and didn’t understand contracts, so he was a bit confused.

It seemed both of them made sense.

He wasn’t in a hurry, so he picked a seat and sat down, waiting for the outcome.

He could also tell that this matter today was probably a conflict between the university’s student union and the entrepreneurial club, seemingly fighting over the table advertisement project.

No matter who partnered with the Dining Hall, the Dining Hall would have business and make money, and that was enough.

Seeing the farce end and everything return to silence, Lü Hua’s expression improved significantly, and he felt more confident.

He looked at Zhou Buqi with a hint of mockery, curled his lips, then cleared his throat and faced everyone, saying loudly, “I have good news for everyone! This Saturday, the Youzi Youwei Milk Tea Shop at the North Gate will officially open! This is a project the university’s student union is involved in, aiming to care for students and provide everyone with the most reliable, highest quality fresh fruit milk tea! For the first half-month of opening, each cup of milk tea will be three yuan fifty cents! Everyone is welcome to come and taste it!”

As soon as these words came out, the entrepreneurial club’s members immediately panicked.

They were even more flustered than before.

Milk Tea Shop?

The university’s student union was also opening a Milk Tea Shop?

It’s over, it’s over!

The Milk Tea Shop was the entrepreneurial club’s base camp!

If even their base camp was seized by the university’s student union, then the entrepreneurial club would lose everything they had.

Too powerful!

As expected of the Chairman of the university’s student union, with one move, it was thunderous lightning, Leaving no one untouched!

In contrast, Zhou Buqi and Guo Pengfei were too passive, caught off guard.

This time, the entrepreneurial club was truly doomed!

Some students even began to have second thoughts.

Should they show loyalty to Lü Hua at this moment?

The entrepreneurial club was gone, but they still needed to compete for some part-time positions. In the school, only the university’s student union had the ability to provide part-time positions.

Chapter 99: You’re No Match for Him

Just as the two sides were locked in a standoff, a girl rushed over.

She was Xu Jianing, the university’s student union’s second-in-command.

As the bridge between the university’s student union and the entrepreneurial club, she had always worked hard to maintain the relationship between the two.

The peaceful coexistence between Zhou Buqi and Lü Hua a few days prior had also stemmed from her mediation.

She never expected a conflict to erupt at any moment!

Xu Jianing was a little anxious. As soon as she arrived, she blamed Lü Hua, saying angrily, “Why wasn’t I notified of the student union’s actions?”

Lü Hua frowned. Being questioned in front of everyone made him very displeased. He said indifferently, “It was an emergency; there was no time to notify you.”

“You!”

Xu Jianing’s eyes widened. To be absolutely furious, she gritted her teeth and said hatefully, “Lü Hua, you’ve gone too far!”

“I’ve gone too far?” Lü Hua laughed in exasperation. “Xu Jianing, I ask you, whose side are you on? They’re practically urinating on the university’s student union’s head, and you still want me to tolerate it? You might be able to, but I can’t!”

Xu Jianing said coldly, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Isn’t it just about the table advertisement project? Isn’t it just that you want to steal their business? Why come up with so many excuses?”

Li Hongrui had long been dissatisfied with Xu Jianing, secretly calling her “bitch.” At this moment, he also stepped forward and said indifferently, “Xu Jianing, this is where you’re wrong. Dining Hall tables are school resources; they should naturally be controlled by the student union. What right does Zhou Buqi have to privately contact outside businesses?”

Lü Hua seconded, “The table advertisement project should inherently belong to the student union. That kid Zhou Buqi snatched it with despicable means. I want to take it back, is there a problem?”

Xu Jianing’s scalp tingled with anger. She stomped her foot hard and said mockingly, “Baseness is the pass for the base. I’ve truly witnessed your shamelessness.”

After speaking, she tossed her hair and walked towards Zhou Buqi.

Regardless, there was some camaraderie between the two of them.

Moreover, she had personally witnessed Zhou Buqi’s mature methods in handling interpersonal relationships and knew well that he was a promising individual.

For the sake of the future, she had to help him.

“Zhou Buqi, don’t be so stubborn.” Xu Jianing lowered her voice and advised.

“Huh? What’s wrong with me?”

“Still pretending? What did I tell you? Don’t go against Lü Hua and them; it won’t do you any good.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“You!”

Xu Jianing felt a surge of irritation in her heart, feeling caught between a rock and a hard place. She said huffily, “Zhou Buqi, can’t you be more mature? I know you’re angry and can’t stand Lü Hua’s actions. But you can’t go against him; he’s the Chairman of the student union!”

“So what?”

“He represents the school’s face!”

“Heh.” Zhou Buqi curled his lip dismissively. “Yes, the university’s student union largely represents the school’s image among the student body, but so what? Can’t I represent the school? Senior Sister Xu, aren’t you underestimating me a little too much?”

“No one’s underestimating you!” Xu Jianing stomped her foot in anger. “Why are you so stubborn? You’re only a first-year undergraduate, with a boundless future! If things get ugly, it’ll affect your image in the eyes of the school leaders. Is that good for you? Lü Hua is already a fourth-year undergraduate; he’ll be gone next year. He’s just trying to make a quick buck while he’s the Chairman of the student union before he leaves. If you provoke him now, aren’t you forcing him to act like a cornered dog?”

It had to be said, her words made a lot of sense.

Her family background and what she had absorbed since childhood made her particularly sensitive to these power and interest dynamics.

Zhou Buqi said calmly, “Senior Sister Xu, I know you mean well and want to help me. However, your stance is quite problematic. Why do you assume Lü Hua will win?”

“Hm?”

Xu Jianing’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was hard to believe someone of Zhou Buqi’s intelligence would ask such a foolish question. “Why? You ask why? He’s the Chairman of the university’s student union. The Youth League Committee Teachers will have to give face to his proposals.”

“What if there’s an exception?”

“There are no exceptions!”

“What if…”

“There are no ‘what ifs’; not even a glimmer of a chance!”

Xu Jianing replied decisively.

As the vice-chairman of the university’s student union, she deeply understood the significant importance of the university’s student union. The Top Leader of the student union and the Youth League Committee Teachers often had a collegial relationship rather than a superior-subordinate one.

No Youth League Committee Teacher was willing to offend the Chairman of the student union.

One was a nominal leader, and the other was a subordinate with actual authority. The intricate web of personal favors and power structures involved was complex.

“Boss Zhou…”

Guo Pengfei sensed the urgency of the current situation from Xu Jianing’s aura and desperation, and he couldn’t help but waver.

No one was a god.

This time, could Zhou Buqi have misjudged the situation?

If he truly made a mistake, not only would the table advertisement project be lost, and the entrepreneurial club be finished, but it would even affect the Milk Tea Shop’s business and the Campus Network’s operations.

It was a situation where pulling one hair could move the whole body!

Zhou Buqi’s expression was cold. He glanced at him. “What? You don’t trust me?”

“I…”

Guo Pengfei’s face suddenly flushed red.

Just then, there was another commotion by the doorway.

Someone ran over, panting, drenched in sweat, and looking anxious, holding a black folder in his hand.

Upon seeing him, Lü Hua stood up in surprise and exclaimed, “Wang Lekang, you’re finally back! Why were you so slow? Hurry! Bring me the document!”

On this side, Xu Jianing’s face instantly turned ashen, like a blank sheet of paper. Her eyes lost focus, and she murmured, “It’s over, it’s all over…”

Chapter 100: A Wonderful Show

Lü Hua was very excited.

The moment of the decisive battle had finally arrived!

In front of so many students, especially since they were all members of the entrepreneurial club, all he had to do was announce the Youth League Committee Teacher’s approved document, and his mission would be accomplished.

By then, the table advertisement project would be his!

It was all stacks of gleaming cash.

Just thinking about it made him thrilled.

Li Hongrui was also invigorated. He didn’t care about money; his biggest goal was to humiliate Zhou Buqi. Now, the opportunity had come. Slapping him in the face in front of so many people, he figured it wouldn’t take long for Zhou Buqi’s name to be ruined.

This feeling was truly wonderful.

“Wang Lekang! What are you standing there for? Hurry up and bring the document!” Lü Hua was a bit impatient. Then he turned around, full of vigor, radiant, and proudly surveyed everyone, “Everyone, come and see! The Youth League Committee Teacher’s approval document is here. From now on, the entrepreneurial club will be disbanded!”

The atmosphere grew restless.

Filled with unease and unwillingness.

Zhou Buqi’s heart was as still as water. He smiled and said, “Senior Sister Xu, shall we go over and take a look together?”

Xu Jianing said angrily, “Zhou Buqi, are you truly foolish or just pretending? At a time like this, you can still smile?”

“Let’s go.”

Zhou Buqi magnanimously waved his hand.

On the other side, Wang Lekang forced out a smile uglier than crying. “Ch-Chairman, this document…”

“What are you rambling about?” Lü Hua was a little impatient. “We’ve been waiting for you for over half an hour. Can’t you even handle such a small matter?”

“No, the Youth League Committee Teacher didn’t…”

“Alright, hurry up!”

Li Hongrui stepped forward, snatched the document, then stepped onto a stool and then onto the table.

From his elevated position, holding the folder, he seemed ready to announce the information within to the whole world, letting everyone witness Zhou Buqi’s disgrace.

The feeling, just thinking about it, was exhilarating!

Guo Pengfei was a little worried. “Are you really okay?”

Zhou Buqi glanced at him, his expression calm. “They’re just mere clowns. Let’s watch the show.”

“Don’t read it!” Wang Lekang had already seen the content, but with so many people gathered around, he couldn’t say it directly. He could only blink frequently, sending signals.

However, Lü Hua and Li Hongrui at this moment were already lost in their own frenzied self-congratulation, just waiting to announce the results and completely release the pent-up emotions of the past few days.

“Everyone listen carefully!” Li Hongrui cleared his throat, opened the folder, and read loudly, “The university’s student union’s notice regarding the recommendation to disband the Yuanwei entrepreneurial club…”

The students of the entrepreneurial club felt their hearts turned to ashes, filled with unspeakable bitterness.

Lü Hua’s face was flushed, his large face seemed to radiate light as if blessed in a temple.

Xu Jianing’s expression was stiff; she hung her head and sighed.

Only Wang Lekang, who knew the inside story, stumbled back two steps, dumbfounded, completely stunned, and muttered incoherently, “It’s over, it’s really over now…”

“Finally, the Youth League Committee Teacher also provided a comment.” Li Hongrui’s voice was loud and clear. He announced, “Rejected! The university’s student union must self-reflect! Hmm? Re… Rejected?”

Whoosh!

In the Activity Center’s meeting room, the atmosphere erupted into a commotion.

Li Hongrui, standing on the table, his face immediately turned green.

Lü Hua was still immersed in excitement and beautiful fantasies. At this moment, he too looked as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, his eyes suddenly wide open, gasping in shock, “Rejected? Impossible! This is impossible!”

At this, he went mad.

He no longer cared about anything, stepping onto the stool and then jumping onto the table, snatching the document. He looked down, and his face instantly flushed crimson, like a monkey’s backside.

From a distance, one might have thought a red light had been switched on.

Everyone else was also stunned.

Including members of the university’s student union and the entrepreneurial club, all were bewildered by this sudden turn of events.

Xu Jianing’s mouth hung open, in disbelief, “Re… Rejected? How is that possible?”

The most excited was Guo Pengfei. His burst of liberating laughter echoed throughout the entire meeting room. He also jumped onto the table, snatched the document, his face flushed, and loudly recited it again: “The university’s student union proposed to disband the Yuanwei entrepreneurial club, and the Youth League Committee Teacher’s instruction is—Rejected! The university’s student union must self-reflect! Hahahahaha!”

At this, the students of the entrepreneurial club finally confirmed it.

The review did not pass!

The Youth League Committee Teacher retained the entrepreneurial club and even criticized the student union!

In this fierce confrontation, Zhou Buqi had the last laugh, and Lü Hua lost all face!

The university’s student union was completely defeated!

“Boom!”

The students of the entrepreneurial club finally erupted, bursting into thunderous applause.

This applause seemed less like applause from clapping hands.

Instead, it was like a series of slaps, landing hard on Lü Hua and Li Hongrui’s faces.

Stinging painfully.

“This is impossible! This document is fake! I’m going to find the Youth League Committee Teacher right now!” Lü Hua refused to admit defeat and was also trying to find a way to save face. He uttered a harsh remark and then, with a gloomy face, wanted to leave.

Li Hongrui also reacted, glaring fiercely at Zhou Buqi, his eyes bloodshot, and loudly declared, “Yes, this document is fake! We’re going to the Youth League Committee right now!”

“Stop!”

At this moment, a rough yet deep voice rang out.

The square-faced uncle responsible for Dining Hall logistics, who had been watching from the sidelines, stood up and blocked Lü Hua and Li Hongrui. He said in a deep voice, “You tore down the Dining Hall’s advertisements, and you think you can just leave like that?”

“Uh…”

Lü Hua’s heart skipped a beat. Only then did he remember this matter.

That’s right!

The advertisements on the tables had all been torn off.

As a result, the entrepreneurial club wasn’t disbanded. What reason did the university’s student union have to take leftovers?

This…

Lü Hua sucked in a cold breath and immediately panicked.

The Dining Hall had signed a contract.

Zhou Buqi had said that if the advertisements were torn down, they would have to pay at least five thousand yuan in compensation per day!

Where could they find so many Coca-Cola sticker advertisements in such a short time?

How much money would they have to pay for this?

At this moment, Zhou Buqi walked over with his hands behind his back, a beaming smile on his face. Narrowing his eyes, he said, “Sir, if they don’t pay, you can directly go to the Security Office. With witnesses and evidence present, would they still dare to deny it? Hmph, severely damaging public property and causing huge economic losses to the Dining Hall is enough to get them expelled.”

“Zhou Buqi! Shut up!” Li Hongrui was so angry he felt like he would make one furious; he even had a metallic taste of blood in his mouth.

“What? Trying to default on the payment?” Zhou Buqi’s lips curved into a slight smile, and he glanced at him disdainfully, his eyes full of contempt.

Li Hongrui gritted his teeth, trembling with rage.

Lü Hua couldn’t take it anymore.

The students behind them had gathered around again, treating him like a clown, pointing and making sarcastic remarks.

This made him lose all face. He would rather suffer greatly to escape this troublesome place. He roared, “Li Hongrui! Who told you to tear down the Dining Hall’s advertisements? Pay up! Hurry up and pay!”

Li Hongrui trembled all over, feeling caught between a rock and a hard place.

His enemies angered him, and his allies angered him too.

He was about to explode with anger!

Zhou Buqi, calm and composed, smiled and said, “For each day the advertisements are delayed, the compensation is five thousand yuan.”

“Fine! Zhou Buqi, this time I (used by an angry or superior person) admit defeat!”

Li Hongrui finally relented. He spat fiercely onto the ground, with traces of blood, then pulled out his wallet and took out all the one hundred yuan bills.

There were around two or three thousand yuan.

“Don’t you dare try to extort me! It hasn’t even been a full day yet! Here’s the money! As for the table advertisements, you can stick them yourselves!”

He threw the money at Zhou Buqi and left with a gloomy face.

Lü Hua felt uneasy and sheepishly followed.

Zhou Buqi took the money, feeling good. He took out five hundred yuan and gave it to the Dining Hall Sir, telling him to rest assured and wait. The entrepreneurial club would bring people to the Dining Hall to put up advertisements soon, so it wouldn’t affect the contract.

Then, he called out from an elevated position, “Was the show just now good?”

“Good!”

“Was the performance just now wonderful?”

“Wonderful!”

“We watched the show, and they even paid us two thousand yuan for our labor! This afternoon, I’m treating everyone to a big meal!”

“Haha!”

“Boss Zhou is awesome!”

“Boss Zhou, so cool!”

“Long live Boss Zhou!”

UNTITLED

Chapter 1: Conflicts in a Prominent Family

Chapter 2: The Noble Man Is Not a Vessel

Chapter 3: Even a Cowardly Dad Has His Tender Moments

Chapter 4: Chatting Up the Flight Attendant

Chapter 5: The Business Opportunity for the First Pot of Gold

Chapter 6: Leaflets
Chapter 7: Senior Brother Zhou?
Chapter 8: Someone Wants to Pluck the Peach

Chapter 9: Are College Students This Wild Now?

Chapter 10: Consumer Psychology
Chapter 11: Experts Emerge from the People
Chapter 12: Senior Sister Xu
Chapter 13: Principal Hu

Chapter 14: The Former High School Campus Belle

Chapter 15: The Resourceful Second Young Master Zhou

Chapter 16: Brother is a Good Man
Chapter 17: My Bad Luck
Chapter 18: The Strange Freshman
Chapter 19: I’m Back
Chapter 20: The Entrepreneurial Trio
Chapter 21: The Beautiful Teacher

Chapter 22: Any Resemblance Is Purely Coincidental

Chapter 23: Milk Tea Shop

Chapter 24: General Manager Fang PK Student Zhou

Chapter 25: A Failing Performance

Chapter 26: If You Can’t Handle It, You’ll Take Over

Chapter 27: The Counselor Was Furious
Chapter 28: Such Poor Quality
Chapter 29: Just a Few Curses Will Do

Chapter 30: The Troubles of Being Too Handsome

Chapter 31: My Military Training, My Company Commander

Chapter 32: Little Sister Bao, What Have You Done?

Chapter 33: Seizing a Gold Mine

Chapter 34: Confidant

Chapter 35: If I Fail, I Can Only Go Home and Inherit Billions of Assets

Chapter 36: Food Research Institute
Chapter 37: Xu Baihui Takes Action
Chapter 38: Striving to Fail on Purpose

Chapter 39: Is It Really That Hard to Acknowledge Others’ Excellence?

Chapter 40: Little Sister Bao Was Bullied
Chapter 41: Smashing the Shop
Chapter 42: The Storm Subsides

Chapter 43: Little Sister Bao is Actually Big Sister Bao

Chapter 44: Registering Domain Names
Chapter 45: Unique Business Model
Chapter 46: I’m Not a Gold Digger
Chapter 47: Confession
Chapter 48: A Good Dog Doesn’t Block the Path

Chapter 49: Second Brother Zhou is Also Boss Zhou

Chapter 50: Sole Proprietorship
Chapter 51: Willingly Concede Defeat
Chapter 52: Blue Sky Dream
Chapter 53: Double Blessings

Chapter 54: Milk Tea and Domains Flourish Together

Chapter 55: Joint Purchase Card
Chapter 56: It’s Hard to Climb to the Clouds
Chapter 57: House Hunting with Teacher Wen
Chapter 58: No Obstacle Is Insurmountable
Chapter 59: Domain Name Business Kicks Off

Chapter 60: The Relationship Line is Also Making Great Progress!

Chapter 61: Zhou Buqi’s Clever Maneuver

Chapter 62: Wangfujing

Chapter 63: A Scumbag’s Retribution is a Scumbag Girl

Chapter 64: Chen Dong’s Past
Chapter 65: Shortcuts Are Lotteries
Chapter 66: Seven Major Side Projects

Chapter 67: Universities Can Also Be Goldmines

Chapter 68: Driving Traffic

Chapter 69: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Chapter 70: The Value of Ideals

Chapter 71: The Class Beauty’s Little Trouble

Chapter 72: The Parasites in the Student Union

Chapter 73: Evil Cannot Suppress Righteousness

Chapter 74: Imperial Statecraft

Chapter 75: Threat

Chapter 76: Incapable of Success, Yet Prone to Failure

Chapter 77: Reconciliation?
Chapter 78: Hidden Talents in the Library
Chapter 79: Causing Trouble
Chapter 80: You Get to Eat Dog Food

Chapter 81: First Month’s Performance of the Milk Tea Shop

Chapter 82: This Kid’s Going to Rebel

Chapter 83: Taking You for a Run

Chapter 84: No Amount of Prevention Can Stop a Routine

Chapter 85: My Lord Zhou Wants to Hit Someone
Chapter 86: Broad Vision
Chapter 87: The Big Fish
Chapter 88: Keeping One’s Distance
Chapter 89: Rules Must Still Be Set
Chapter 90: New Project Launched
Chapter 91: Tearing Off the Facade
Chapter 92: Li Hongrui’s Moment of Glory
Chapter 93: Rejected!
Chapter 94: Like a Mad Dog
Chapter 95: Universities are Goldmines
Chapter 96: Hero Saves the Beauty
Chapter 97: It’s Time to Act

Chapter 98: The Student Union’s Thunderous Tactics

Chapter 99: You’re No Match for Him

Chapter 100: A Wonderful Show