Chen Xiao listened to Xu Wu’s recommendation for the general manager of Jiangzhou Wansheng Square.
After the acquisition, Jiangzhou Wansheng Square would be renamed Junxiao Square, and Xu Wu suggested that Xu Jun remain the general manager.
After interviewing so many people, Xu Jun and Peng Yu were undoubtedly the most suitable in terms of ability, but Peng Yu was no longer an option.
Although Chen Xiao had already rejected Xu Jun, Xu Wu knew there was no irreconcilable conflict between them. It was just that Chen Xiao had been in a bad mood and taken it out on Xu Jun.
She believed that one couldn’t be emotional when selecting the person in charge of such an important investment project, so she recommended Chen Xiao go ahead and use Xu Jun for now.
They could make a different decision later based on his actual performance.
Chen Xiao wasn’t a dictator. After hearing Xu Wu’s reasoning, he also felt that wanting to replace Xu Jun just because Xia Bin had sent flowers to the store was indeed as absurdly capricious as an ancient king lighting war beacons for a laugh.
Therefore, he readily accepted her advice and decided to do as Xu Wu said. Having Xu Jun, the original general manager of Jiangzhou Wansheng Square, continue to helm the plaza was a very prudent and strategic arrangement for the transition period.
"Xu Wu, have you found an apartment yet?"
"I called and checked. There are still apartments available in your building at Bihu Twin Seals. As it happens, there’s one available on the floor above you and one on the floor below. Do you think I should be on top or on the bottom?"
Chen Xiao looked up at her and saw she was asking him with a completely straight face. ’But Miss Xu,’ he thought, ’that question of yours... do you know my Demon-Subduing Pestle is starting to stir?’
’Do you have any idea how troublesome—and potent—an Endurance of 102 is?’
’Aren’t you afraid I’ll have three rounds with a female demon?’
"Top or bottom, either works," Chen Xiao replied. "Anyway, the apartments have good soundproofing, so you won’t hear anything."
Xu Wu shot him a look and said reproachfully, "You’re so improper. I don’t have anything else this afternoon, so I’ll take the time to get the apartment sorted out."
She had been conducting interviews for days on end and was indeed exhausted. Chen Xiao nodded, but thought to himself, ’Me, improper? If I weren’t so proper, I would’ve dealt with you on the spot!’
On weekdays, daytime traffic in Jiangzhou was still quite smooth.
"Brother Hui, slow down! I’m getting dizzy from all the shaking!"
Xu Jia cried out in protest from the back seat of the old Honda Accord.
Zhao Hui sped along the road, slamming on the brakes at every traffic light. It was a driving habit he’d had for years.
He used to have a hot-headed personality, and while he had gradually become more composed, his driving was likely a product of years of habit.
Zhao Hui had already resigned from the Yinuo Jiangzhou Branch and was about to start his new position at Junxiao Square, formerly Jiangzhou Wansheng Square.
Once he started, his work would be incredibly busy, so he was taking advantage of these two free days to take care of family matters.
He had already bought the house next door as per Chen Xiao’s instructions, and it was currently being renovated.
Today, he was going to an auto mall to buy a car. Chen Xiao had told him to get an MPV, which would be very convenient for family outings, especially with the elderly.
He had called his sister early in the morning to ask if she had time. After all, the car would mostly be used by their parents and grandmother. Considering his sister’s affection for their grandmother, he wanted to get her opinion and see if she wanted to be involved in choosing the car.
He hadn’t held out much hope. His sister had a very quiet personality and liked to stay cooped up at home for two days straight on her days off.
She usually had no interest in things like buying a car.
But to his surprise, his sister actually agreed and even invited Xu Jia along, which is how Zhao Hui ended up picking them both up early in the morning to go to the auto mall.
Zhao Hui immediately reined himself in, and the car gradually smoothed out. It didn’t matter much if Xu Jia got dizzy; he was worried about Zhao Xiangjun getting sick.
If Xu Jia knew what he was thinking, she’d probably be furious. Did he have to be so obviously biased?
The auto mall was filled with numerous dealerships, featuring everything from traditional luxury brands like the German Big Three and Porsche to the new-energy brands.
Zhao Hui hadn’t bought a car in years, and arriving at the auto mall felt like stepping into a whole new world.
When he had come to buy a car seven or eight years ago, the most popular dealerships were definitely the joint-venture brands.
Whether it was Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, or the luxury German Big Three, they were all bustling with people, and their delivery areas were packed with vehicles waiting to be handed over.
Now, however, these brands were all but deserted. Their former glory was a thing of the past.
In contrast, the domestic new-energy brand dealerships were almost all crowded with potential buyers, and there were constant lines for the test drive areas.
The delivery areas were even more packed, filled to the brim with cars waiting to be handed over. It really made one feel that times had changed.
He was here to buy an MPV today and had done his homework beforehand. The best-selling models on the market currently were the Buick GL8, the Denza D9, and the Voyah Dreamer.
He didn’t even consider the Alphard and the Vellfire. From his conversations with Chen Xiao, he got the feeling that Chen Xiao wasn’t a fan of Japanese products, so he naturally wouldn’t do anything to displease him.
As it happened, the first dealership upon entering the auto mall was a Buick one. He parked the car and asked casually, "Xiangjun, which model do you think is better?"
Normally, Zhao Xiangjun would definitely not have offered an opinion, and Zhao Hui didn’t expect her to give him any suggestions.
But unexpectedly, she actually thought about it seriously before saying, "Let’s get a domestic one. It should have intelligent driving assistance, and it needs to be safe."
Well then. She might not have any strong opinions, but Chen Xiao certainly did, and these were all ideas he had instilled in her.
Zhao Hui had one foot inside the Buick dealership before he pulled it back out. The intelligent driving requirement alone eliminated the GL8, so there was no need to look further.
The group went to the Denza dealership to look at the D9. The car’s ride comfort, electric motor, and electronic control systems were impeccable, and Zhao Hui was already very satisfied. But when he thought about the intelligent driving aspect, the D9 didn’t have a clear advantage.
"Shop around before you buy"—it was a principle his family had instilled in him since childhood. Especially for a major purchase like a car, he still wanted to check out other options for comparison.
The group then went to the Voyah dealership. They were immediately drawn to the Dreamer’s grand and stately exterior. As they got closer, they saw several groups of customers looking at the same car, all praising it endlessly.
Because of the crowd, Zhao Xiangjun was unwilling to join the throng. Xu Jia stayed back with her while Zhao Hui got inside the car to get a feel for it.
Just then, a salesperson came over, greeted them politely, introduced herself, and asked about their purchase intentions and budget so she could provide a detailed introduction.
The car’s average price ranged from 330,000 to 430,000. He initially felt the price difference wasn’t that big. When buying a car, the best value for money was always the mid-to-low-end trims, as they had all the key features. This was a long-held belief of his from his previous car-buying experiences.
Zhao Xiangjun was indifferent at first, but then the salesperson mentioned, "The top-trim version of this car also comes with Qiankun Smart Drive!"
Zhao Hui hadn’t even processed what "Qiankun Smart Drive" was when Zhao Xiangjun made the final decision with her exceptionally crisp and clear voice, "Let’s get this one."
How could Zhao Hui know that Zhao Xiangjun, who spent every day with Chen Xiao, had been taught so much about smart cars by him that she was now more knowledgeable on the subject than he was?