He had been mulling over this problem for a full day.
He believed he had an absolute advantage. After all, he was the one who had built up Jiangzhou Wansheng when he was its general manager.
In the Jiangzhou area, he was currently second to none in management experience, brand resources, and team building. There was no reason the investors wouldn’t choose him.
If he had any competition, it would likely only be the current store manager of Jiangzhou Wansheng Square, Xu Jun.
As the existing store manager, Xu Jun could take over directly and integrate into the new team more quickly.
’No, I have to get in touch and start negotiations early!’
Peng Yu sensed a crisis, but a crisis was made of danger and opportunity!
This asset management company was completely inexperienced. If they appointed a general manager, he would surely be granted more authority.
It wasn’t like a massive corporation like Wansheng Group, which was so standardized and procedure-driven that a regional president had little room to maneuver.
With that much authority and a project like Jiangzhou Wansheng Square, the kickbacks would be enough to make his hands go numb from counting.
’Perhaps this really is an opportunity!’
At that thought, he suddenly became less concerned about the major brands currently pulling out of the Wansheng Group Hanjiang Region stores.
’After I’m gone, let the deluge come. I’ll be in a new place, happy to death!’
Xia Bin had no idea so many thoughts had raced through Peng Yu’s mind in an instant. Just as he finished his cigarette, Li Chun came in, having looked up the information.
"President Peng, I’ve checked. Besides the Jiangzhou Wansheng Store, which has three months left on its lease, of the other seven stores, three have two years left on their contracts, and four also have leases expiring in three months. However, those four are what we call ’problem plazas!’"
"Problem plazas" were malls that were difficult to lease, had poor foot traffic, and where the vast majority of brands inside were losing money.
Peng Yu nodded and dismissed him. ’This is tricky,’ he thought. ’For those problem plazas, Yino won’t care if we tell them to pull their stores. They’re not making much money there now, even if their operations are good.’
’In fact, if they pull out, I’ll be the one in trouble when I can’t find new tenants to replace them!’
Wansheng Group didn’t allow vacant storefronts. The fixed monthly revenue for each space had to be met down to the last dime. Any shortfall, and the regional president and plaza store managers would be held responsible.
’What a headache.’ Peng Yu chain-smoked several cigarettes before finally stubbing one out and standing up.
’I’ll put all this aside for now. The most important thing is to get a good deal with the firm that acquired Jiangzhou Wansheng!’
’Once that’s settled, this whole mess will have nothing to do with me!’
All of this was profoundly influenced by two phone calls from Chen Xiao, and was about to change the destinies of many so-called "big shots."
These people were now at their wits’ end, running themselves ragged.
Meanwhile, Chen Xiao, the mastermind behind it all, was texting Zhao Xiangjun asking for candy.
He had once told Zhao Xiangjun that he was thinking about the sesame candy he used to eat as a child—the kind made with malt sugar—and how he craved it but couldn’t find it anymore.
Zhao Xiangjun had replied that she thought there was a vendor near her brother’s house and that she would look for it when she was there.
Just now, Zhao Xiangjun had sent him a photo. It was, indeed, the sesame candy he had been dreaming of. He was in the middle of texting her back: "Buy it! Buy it!"
If anyone knew that a multi-billionaire was getting this excited over a sesame candy that cost just a few dollars a pound, their jaws would hit the floor.
Zhao Xiangjun gazed at her phone, a faint smile gracing her lips.
After bathing her grandmother and letting her rest in the back seat of the car, she had used her memory to find the sesame candy stall. That was when she had taken the photo and sent it to Chen Xiao.
As she was asking the vendor to bag the candy, she suddenly heard someone call her name.
"Zhao Xiangjun!"
She turned and saw a middle-aged man. He had greasy hair, a square face, and a large potbelly that trembled with every step.
He looked vaguely familiar, but at first glance, she couldn’t place him.
She rarely paid attention to people or things she deemed unimportant, so her memories of them were fragmented.
The man, clearly noticing from her expression that she hadn’t recognized him, said with a hint of displeasure, "I’m President Wang!"
’President Wang?’ Zhao Xiangjun still couldn’t recall.
"Wang Hao’s father. I visited your home not long ago. You don’t remember?"
Only then did she remember who he was. "Can I help you?" she asked.
Father Wang was put off by her cold attitude, but for his son’s sake, he forced a benevolent expression. "Oh, it’s nothing. I just ran into you, and I thought I’d say hello since we’re acquainted!"
"When did you get back? You should come over to our house and hang out when you’re free!"
Zhao Xiangjun looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. ’Hang out at your house? What for? Our families barely know each other. Besides, I’m a young woman. Wouldn’t going to your house just start rumors?’
Seeing her ignore him, he pressed on, "Look at you, being so distant. Back when your grandfather was alive, I used to visit his home all the time. Your grandfather was really fond of my Haozi back then!"
"He even talked about arranging a childhood betrothal between you and Haozi!"
Watching Father Wang put on this one-man show, Zhao Xiangjun couldn’t imagine who would fall for such a ridiculous lie.
She said coldly, "My grandfather is no longer with us. Why don’t you go find him and ask him to tell me in a dream?"
Father Wang was left speechless. ’Me? Go find her grandfather?’
’I know how to get there, but I don’t know the way back!’
He had no idea that Zhao Xiangjun had dealt with so many guys hitting on her that she had perfected the art of the comeback.
Anyone not on her level was bound to get shut down.
She turned and walked toward her car. She was worried about her grandmother being in there alone.
Father Wang was left fuming, glaring at her back as he watched helplessly while she walked away.
The sesame candy vendor chimed in, "Sir, that beautiful lady might seem cold and aloof, but she knows exactly what’s what."
The implication being: who did you think you were fooling with that story?
Father Wang just snorted and stormed off.
On the way back to Bihu Twin Seals, Chen Xiao reclined the "zero-gravity" passenger seat all the way back, chewing on the sesame candy. ’Ah, the taste of childhood!’
When they got to the car, he was faster than Zhao Xiangjun and plopped right down in the passenger seat.
She had no choice but to be the driver, glancing over at Chen Xiao, who looked as blissful as a god in the passenger seat.
She remarked out of the blue, "Only pigs eat while lying down and lie down right after eating."
"If you weren’t driving right now, I’d spank you!"
"Then you drive, and I promise I won’t call you a..." Zhao Xiangjun purred, tempting him with a seductive glance.
"Never mind, you drive. Say what you want, I’ll just pretend I can’t hear you!" Chen Xiao wasn’t falling for her trap.
After sparring for so long, they knew each other inside and out. As Zhao Xiangjun would say, you could tell what kind of crap was coming just by the way the butt was raised.
"Hmph~!" The way she pouted was surprisingly cute. That, combined with her flawless beauty, made Chen Xiao’s mind start to wander.
’I can’t wait to get home!’ he thought.
After dinner, Chen Xiao made good on his "promise." What was inconvenient to do in the car, he made up for in spades that night.
He had her on her stomach, had her kneeling on the bay window, had her braced against the wall as he took her from behind.
Zhao Xiangjun called him a pervert over and over, yet she eagerly met his every move.