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  Chapter 190: Another Woman Who Calls You Brother

  TL: Etude

  On a Saturday m, the sun sholy, the sky was clear, and the vast azure expanse was nearly devoid of clouds.

  Jiang Qin arrived at the girls’ dormitory to pick up Feng Nanshu, pnning to take her to visit He Yijun’s house.

  Today, the little rich dy was unusually aloof. Dressed entirely in cool bck attire, she did not dispy her usual na?ve demeanor upon seeing Jiang Qin. Her lips were red and glossy, seemingly touched with a hint of lipstick.

  “Big brother, let’s go.”

  “Why start with ‘big brother’ as soon as you see me? You’re being a bit disrespectful today!” Jiang Qi numb.

  Sitting seriously in the passenger seat, Feng Nanshu emitted a cold aura: “Big brother, take me to see another woman who calls you big brother.”

  “What the hell? Who taught you this?”

  “I lear from Wenhui.” Feng Nanshu was a bit sheepish yet defiant.

  Jiang Qin looked at her for a long while, then his gaze narrowed: “Do you feel unhappy when others call me big brother?”

  Feng Nanshu nodded obediently: “A little sad.”

  “Do you know why you feel sad?”

  After asking, Jiang Qin held his breath, nervously awaiting her response, praying she wasn’t jealous, as that would be disastrous.

  After a moment, Feng Nanshu pursed her lips: “I don’t know. I don’t uand anything.”

  Jiang Qihed a sigh of relief, feeling suddenly capable again: “Actually, many people feel this way. It’s nothing special. You don’t o pohe reason or dwell on it.”

  “However, the person He Manqi wants to see is actually you. I’m just tagging along. She’s your little fan, sworn to bee like you, even imitating your hairstyle.”

  Feng Nanshu could no longer maintain her aloof expressioing to her silly self: “Jiang Qin, what kind of person am I?”

  “A big fool.”

  “I’m not that foolish, am I?”

  “Foolish and childish, going to see another woman. Have you been reading some weird novels again? I told you not to read those.”

  Jiang Qin fastened her seatbelt and drove out of the campus. The little rich dy in the passenger seat became lively again, her gaze sweeping over the sery outside.

  Arriving in a bustling area of the city, Jiang Qin parked the car ao a nearby tobacd liquor store to buy some gifts.

  It was only proper t something when visiting for the first time, otherwise, it would seem impolite.

  Professor Yan was right about the downside of a society driven by humaions. Knowing full well He Yijun had ulterior motives, he still had t gifts. Where was the w in this?

  Half an hour ter, they reached Donghu Mountain Residence.

  It was a row of European-style vils, eveuring bas-relief sculptures of Greek mythological figures oe pilrs.

  Such architectural mishmash opur in this era, as the i had broadened people’s horizons but aesthetics hadn’t quite caught up, leading to many such East-West hybrid buildings.

  Everyone associated Europe with nobility, so it made sense for vils to have a European touch, right?

  Driving in through the main gate, Jiang Qin spotted a statue of Manneken Pis, the Belgian boy who famously extinguished a bomb with his urine, saving aire city.

  He held the steering wheel with one hand and covered the little rich dy’s eyes with the other.

  A statue was just a statue, but why depict it so explicitly? It was btantly obse.

  Jiang Qin quickly bypassed the urinating boy and located Vil 506 in the fifth row.

  After ringing the doorbell, He Yijun, dressed in home attire, personally weled them.

  “Mr. Jiang, please e in. Is this yirlfriend?” He was surprised by Feng Nanshu’s beauty.

  Jiang Qin nodded nontly: “Yes, this is my good friend, Feng Nanshu.”

  “?”

  As the two ehe living room, they were greeted by He Manqi, who eagerly called Jiang Qin “Big brother” and Feng Nanshu “Big sister”. She was exceptionally warm and weling.

  He Yijun asked his daughter to show Feng Nanshu around while he pulled Jiang Qin aside to sit in the living room.

  “Mr. Jiang, your holidays are ing up soht?”

  “Yes, after the final exams we’ll officially be on holiday.”

  He Yijun poured a cup of tea for him: “Where is your hometown?”

  “Jizhou.” Jiang Qin thanked him as he took the cup.

  “Jizhou is a wonderful pce. I’ve visited a few times when I was young. It’s a nd of outstanding people and rich history. It’s no wonder someone like you, a star student, es from there.”

  Jiang Qin hissed softly, his toes curling inside his shoes.

  Fttery he right approach.

  For instance, if I have a bit of literary talent and you praise me as a great writer, I’d be happy because it’s an exaggeration of a truth I possess.

  But if I’m bald and you praise my hair as stunningly cool, that’s like hitting the horseshoe – it’s baseless and makes me feel insecure.

  “Mr. He, didn’t I e here for a meal? Where’s the food?” Jiang Qin ged the subject.

  “It’s on the way. To be ho, I’m not good at cooking, so I ordered a table from Juxianlou.”

  Jiang Qin’s mouth twitched: “ from a restaurant for a home dihat’s a new one for me.”

  “I had no choice, I’m divorced.” He Yijun said nontly.

  Typically, this would be where the versation ends, as further inquiry would be rude. But not for Jiang Qin. He excitedly patted the sofa, calling for the little rich dy to e and listen to the story.

  However, the little rich dy had been taken upstairs by He Manqi, likely uo hear Jiang Qin’s friendly call.

  “Mr. Jiang, you’re being somewhat impolite.”

  “Mr. He, o beat around the bush. If you ’t cook, why invite me for a meal? What’s the real reason?”

  Hearing this, He Yijun stopped beating around the bush and shared his s about the retail industry and his desire for reform to adapt to the evolving era and transition into the online shopping age.

  He had thought long and hard but couldn’t find the right dire, so he decided to seek Jiang Qin’s advice.

  Yes, the head of a major retail mall was asking for advice from an obscure uy student.

  After hearing this, Jiang Qin internally excimed in surprise.

  Holy, as someone who had lived through the future, it was normal for him to foresee ges. How could he not know what his own lived experiences would lead to?

  But for Mr. He, a man deeply involved in the industry, to not be deluded and quickly sense danger was indeed surprising.

  Why?

  Because people usually react slowly. Without feeling the whip on one’s own skin, one does not realize the pain.

  The crisis awareness i in businesspeople whled through hardships was not to be uimated.

  “Mr. Jiang, help me solve this puzzle.” He Yijun looked serious.

  Jiang Qin dispyed a simple grin simir to Feng Nanshu’s: “Actually, I don’t kher. Mr. He, I’m just an ordinary uy student!”

  “You’re being too modest. I don’t like this modesty. There’s no one else here, be a bit more arrogant!”

  “Actually, if you use the traditional business owner mio think about this problem, it’s easy to overplicate it. Why not switch to the er’s perspective? The i has its limitations and blind spots, just like urinating. ers ’t exactly do that online, they?”

  After hearing this, He Yijun’s eyebrows shot up: “Are you suggesting I turn my mall into a public restroom?”

  Jiang Qi down his teacup: “My point is, put yourself in the er’s shoes. Think about what things require their personal involvement. That might just be the right dire for reform.”

  “Things that require personal involvement…”

  He Yijun’s scalp tingled suddenly, sensing that he had grasped something signifit.

  “What is the current yout of Wanzhong Mall?”

  “The first floor has daily ies and clothing, the sed floor etid jewelry, the third floor home appliahe fourth floor furniture, and the fifth floor is the office area.”

  Jiang Qin looked at He Yijun: “All these items will be avaible online iure. They’ll be cheaper than what you offer and with more perks. You indeed have no advantage. You’re in trouble.”

  He Yijun seemed to catto something: “So, only things that ’t be bought online will tio survive in the mall?”

  “Exactly. For instance, dining, emas, lifestyle services. When you want to hang out with friends, watch a movie, take your kids out, get a massage, a haircut, or a manicure, you ’t do these online, you? My suggestion is to cut down a rge part of the cumbersome retail business, re-pn the mall’s yout, and shift from pure sales to service. You o give people a reason to e; that’s how the mall will survive.”

  “…”

  As soon as he finished speaking, the doorbell rang again.

  The delivery staff from Juxianlou pushed in a cart, setting the dishes oable. Although it wasn’t homemade, dishes like sea cucumber and abalone showed siy.

  He Yijun ate a few bites, seemingly triggered by a thought, and without much regard for his guests, he abruptly left for his study halfway through the meal.

  “Uncle Jiang Qin, would you like a drink? I pour one for you.”

  “When you came in, didn’t you call me ‘big brother’? Why suddenly ‘uncle’ now?”

  Jiang Qin said this and instinctively g Feng Nanshu sitting beside him.

  Feng Nanshu picked up her water gss, her i eyes flickering lively as she looked at him, as if ripples were dang in her eyes.

  “My dad said he’s your peer, so calling you ‘big brother’ is impolite.”

  “But as far as I know, you never listen to your dad, right?” Jiang Qin was somewhat skeptical.

  He Manqi coughed: “I’m obedient now. By the way, uncle, you tell me more about Sister Nanshu? Would you please?”

  Jiang Qin put down his chopsticks and looked at her: “Is it you who wants to hear, or is it for someone else who wants to eavesdrop?”

  “…”

  The little rich dy ig up peanuts with her chopsticks. Hearing this, the peanut dropped from her chopsticks.

  EtudeTranstions