112: Chapter 112 has a feeling of returning to simplicity.
"We're finally back! ~"
As soon as Zhang Menglu stepped out of the airport, she spread her arms in an embracing gesture and cheered loudly.
Chen Hao followed behind, pushing the luggage, and asked in surprise.
"It sounds like you didn't really like Guangcheng?"
Zhang Menglu linked her arm with Chen Hao's, smiling sweetly.
"Not exactly. I still feel like I'm dreaming. I keep feeling like the trip to Guangcheng wasn't real."
Let alone Zhang Menglu, even Chen Hao felt a sense of returning to simplicity.
In Guangcheng, he was highly respected, but in Jiangcheng, he was still that mediocre, extremely ordinary person he used to be.
It doesn't matter; times have changed. Jiangcheng is just his stepping stone for now.
Chen Hao changed the subject and asked.
"Now that we're back, is there anything you want to ask?"
She blinked her large, KASI-LAN eyes and looked at Chen Hao doubtfully.
"For example? Is there something I should be asking?"
The two walked and talked.
"For example, about partnering to open a company, why did you only give you ten percent of the shares and only assign you to manage the offline storefronts? That's different from what we discussed before. Didn't you have any doubts?"
Zhang Menglu linked her arm with Chen Hao's and said with a grin.
"You wouldn't harm me, so why should I doubt you?"
She still didn't understand.
Chen Hao gave a wry smile, thinking how naive this girl was. If she hadn't met him, and it was someone else, they might have sold her out, and she'd probably still be helping count the money.
The two got on the airport shuttle bus. On the way back to the city center, Chen Hao explained patiently.
"The reason I arranged things this way is due to other considerations. Although the real economy is sluggish under the current general environment, real estate is still a pillar industry that can be invested in permanently."
"On the surface, I'm letting you manage the franchise business, but in reality, you are doing real estate—using the franchising of physical stores to speculate on property."
Zhang Menglu was stunned.
"Speculate on property? But I don't understand. Besides, speculating on property is so expensive. A single storefront costs millions at least. How could I have that much money?"
Chen Hao quickly explained.
"Speculating on property isn't as complicated as you think. Here's how I explain it: we offer preferential policies in the system to attract franchisees to join."
"Anyone who franchises needs to pay a franchise fee. We publicly announce that headquarters will provide the store and decoration for free, but in reality, we use very little principal to secure the down payment for the storefront. Afterward, we use the franchise fees to cover subsequent repayments."
"This way, the more franchise stores open, the more properties you will hold. You can earn many properties with very little money."
Zhang Menglu became more excited the more she listened.
"That sounds amazing, but what if a franchise store withdraws its investment? Wouldn't the mortgage payments stop?"
Chen Hao smiled calmly.
"If a situation arises where payments stop, first, we see if we can use liquid funds to continue making payments, and then we rent out the storefront to offset the pressure of the mortgage with the rent."
"If that still doesn't work, we sell the storefront. You must know that real estate is very value-preserving. Any business can lose money, but only real estate is guaranteed to make a profit."
"I get it."
Zhang Menglu's thought process couldn't support such massive calculations. Although she didn't fully grasp what Chen Hao said, she just felt he was incredibly smart.
Moreover, she believed her relationship with Chen Hao was closer. Therefore, this business might lose money, and if Qian Zhaodi and Zhuang Hua lost money, they would lose everything. Only she could retreat unscathed, guaranteed to make a profit.
Thinking this way, Chen Hao was truly good to her, considering every aspect.
"I'm liking you more and more."
Zhang Menglu didn't care about the gazes of others and leaned into Chen Hao's embrace, acting spoiled.
"Alright, stop fooling around. After we get back, you should rest well for a few days. Pang Dahai's construction team will finish in two days. Once Qian Zhaodi transports all the goods from Guangcheng, the opening will be imminent, and you'll have plenty to keep you busy then."
...
Just like that, Chen Hao and Zhang Menglu returned to the night market hosiery store.
As soon as they entered, they felt a familiar atmosphere, as if they hadn't been back for years.
Zhang Menglu cheerfully packed her luggage, sorting all the used clothes to wash them together.
She had been too busy recently and hadn't had time to redeem the hosiery tokens from Zhang Menglu. Each token was worth 100 points, which couldn't be wasted.
"Give me all the stockings you've worn. You don't need to wash them."
Zhang Menglu didn't argue and tossed a bag of stockings to Chen Hao.
"I really don't get you. You took so many of my stockings; where do you keep them all?"
"Ding"
"Redeemable token detected. Do you wish to redeem now?"
"Zhang Menglu's Stockings * 15, Current Favorability 100, Redeemable for 1500 points"
"Current available points: 13478"
Having saved so many points, keeping them was the same as not having them. It was better to redeem 10,000 points to push his balance past the 100 million mark, keeping the rest of the points for unexpected needs.
While Zhang Menglu was washing things, Chen Hao clicked on the redeem money page and converted 10,000 points into cash.
The trip to Guangcheng had been extravagant. He gave Zhu Shasha 5 million, was swindled by Zhao Yifei for 2.6 million, invested 5 million in shares, gave 1 million to the chubby boy, plus buying luxury goods and treating people to meals—he had spent over 15 million during this period.
The blessing in disguise was that Chen Hao still had the System.
"Your bank account 0178 has received a transfer of 100,000,000.00 RMB from another bank. Current balance: 121,010,000."
The moment the money arrived, Chen Hao finally felt a sense of relief.
120 million!
His money seemed to have the ability to reproduce; the more he spent, the more it grew. What a happy thing this was.
Just as Chen Hao was immersed in joy, his phone suddenly rang, startling him. He picked it up and saw it was Shayiva calling.
"Hello, what's up?"
"I heard you returned to Jiangcheng today. Let's meet up. CEO Wei asked me to deliver some documents to you."
Chen Hao glanced at Zhang Menglu, who was still washing things.
"Give me an address."
After hanging up, Chen Hao said he had something to do and needed to go out.
Zhang Menglu pressed him.
"Will you be back tonight?"
Chen Hao thought carefully before leaving.
"Not necessarily. I'll contact you by phone."
Chen Hao really couldn't be sure, as Shayiva was also one of the bound goddesses, a woman he hadn't conquered yet.
Her conquest reward was the Golden Eyes, and Chen Hao had long wanted to know what kind of reward the so-called Golden Eyes truly were.
He thought he would take this opportunity to meet her today and try again to conquer her.
The meeting place was the Starbucks cafe in the commercial district.
When Chen Hao arrived, Shayiva had already been waiting for a long time. A gentlemanly-dressed man was standing next to Shayiva, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Excuse me, may I sit across from you?"
Shayiva glared at the man.
"No. There are so many seats around, why must you sit across from me?"
The man smiled confidently.
"Actually, I'd like to get to know you."
Shayiva became even more displeased.
"And after getting to know each other? Dinner, movies, a hotel room, then bed?"
Being so direct actually left the man speechless.
Shayiva crossed her arms and said.
"If you can satisfy any one of my conditions, we can skip the middle steps entirely and go straight to bed."
The man's eyes widened.
"Please, tell me? I will try my best to satisfy you!"
Shayiva stated bluntly.
"Give me ten million, or help me earn ten million in a very short time."