Chapter 76

The winter sun was so warm and generous, making people feel cozy all over. Cheng Jemin and Gu Xixi were walking in the park at the center of the street. Glancing at her charming face and listening to her sweet, coquettish voice, his heart melted. He even felt that the sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the air was faintly fragrant. Everything looked refreshing and invigorating.

"Xixi, look, even the heavens think it's not easy for us to be together, so they've given us such good weather!" Seeing Gu Xixi's contented expression, Cheng Jemin felt a surge of tenderness and whispered softly.

Held by Cheng Jemin's large, warm hand, Gu Xixi smiled happily. Before this, she hadn't realized that this big boy, who had been wronged, had slowly become a part of her life. Even when they didn't speak, warmth silently passed between them.

"Jemin, are you really planning to invest in and take over the trade center?" Gu Xixi pointed to the closed trade center ahead and asked softly.

Cheng Jemin had mentioned this idea to Gu Xixi during breakfast. At the time, she hadn't expressed an opinion, but now it seemed she was quite concerned.

"Yes, the trade center is in a good location, and it has old employees facing unemployment. Giving them a job at this time will definitely boost their work enthusiasm. As long as we find the right approach, it will be hard not to make money." With the diary as his support and after giving it serious thought, Cheng Jemin had conducted a series of analyses. The more he analyzed, the more he realized that taking over the trade center was a profitable venture.

Seeing Cheng Jemin's confidence, Gu Xixi nodded and said, "I believe in your judgment. Why don't we go talk about this now?" She pointed to a small door near the trade center and suggested gently.

"Aren't you planning to take me shopping?"

"I can't delay your important business, and besides, I'm not just here for shopping. I just want to be with you!"

Cheng Jemin laughed, feeling as if his heart had been softly caressed. This was truly a considerate girl, always speaking and acting in a way that made him feel comfortable. A wave of emotion welled up in him, and he couldn't help but lift her up and say, "My wife is so understanding!"

"Put me down quickly, who is your wife?" Gu Xixi looked around nervously, struggling to get down and giving Cheng Jemin a light punch on the shoulder.

The two of them laughed and walked toward the entrance of the trade center.

Compared to the front of the trade center, the environment inside the small door was quite dilapidated. The square tiles from the 1970s still covered the ground, and in many places, withered grass was barely visible.

"Do you think we can survive without a penny before the New Year?" A middle-aged woman walked along, complaining to the woman beside her.

The other woman also looked worried. "The children's clothes can still be managed, but during the New Year, you have to buy some meat and candy, right? It's really worrying! I'll borrow some money to get through the New Year, and we'll have to wait for the salary."

"By the way, Sister Rong, what do you think about Sun Chengping and his group taking over the mall?"

The older woman looked around cautiously and whispered, "Do you think it's feasible? Look at the cotton mill. They restructured last year and raised funds, but now they can't even get their money back!"

The younger woman's expression darkened, and the two of them sighed, walking toward the small door.

Watching the two women leave, Gu Xixi grabbed Cheng Jemin's shoulder and said, "I feel uneasy."

Cheng Jemin knew what Gu Xixi was thinking, but with more and more people in similar situations, what could he do? He just smiled and said, "Everything will be fine, let's go."

"What if we end up losing everything like the cotton mill?" Gu Xixi hesitated, her voice filled with worry.

Seeing no one around, Cheng Jemin patted Gu Xixi's delicate face and said seriously, "Dear Comrade Gu Xixi, investing requires a sharp eye and the courage to be a pioneer. Being hesitant and indecisive won't work. Besides, can the restructuring of the cotton mill be compared to this? Let's go!"

The office of the trade center was a two-story building. Most of the rooms were closed. Cheng Jemin and Gu Xixi walked all the way to the second floor before encountering two men coming out of a room. The man behind held the one in front and said, "Old Chen, you're my old partner. Think about it, if we can keep this business running, we'll definitely make money."

"Chengping, I understand your idea, but I really can't come up with the 20,000 yuan." The man in front hesitated and continued, "Old Sun, I think you shouldn't do this. The risk is too high. If you lose 20,000 yuan, how long will it take to recover?"

The man behind tried to persuade him, but the man in front interrupted, "Chengping, my second son's father-in-law is a cook at the school. They need a helper in the kitchen, and he's already arranged it for me. I'm going there. There's no permanent feast in the world, take care of yourself!"

Sun Chengping watched the man leave, feeling a bit dejected. He wasn't impulsive in leading the effort to take over the mall; he saw it as an opportunity. If they could take over the mall, making money shouldn't be a problem.

But he hadn't expected that at this critical moment, his most steadfast supporter would start to waver.

"Are you... here for something?" After a moment's hesitation, Sun Chengping noticed two people waiting in the corridor. The young woman was beautiful, and the man was handsome and tall. No matter how hard Sun Chengping thought, he couldn't figure out why they were looking for him.

They must have come to the back yard for a reason, right? Thinking this, his tone changed, "Our manager and deputy manager are at a meeting at the supply and marketing cooperative. They're not here..."

"We're not looking for your manager." Cheng Jemin looked at Sun Chengping and smiled lightly, "Are you Sun Chengping?"

Sun Chengping was taken aback. Although he was active in the mall, outside of it, he was just another face in the crowd. How did these young people know him?

Full of suspicion, he still answered truthfully, "I am Sun Chengping. Do you need something from me?"

Cheng Jemin had been observing Sun Chengping. He wasn't tall, and he looked ordinary, but from the way he occasionally raised his head, Cheng Jemin felt that he was a man with ideas.

"Manager Sun, this isn't the place to talk, is it?" Cheng Jemin's words carried a hint of familiarity.

Sun Chengping hesitated for a moment and then led them into a room. The room was small, with two old, paint-peeled tables. The floor was cluttered with cigarette butts.

"A bit messy, please sit wherever you like." Sun Chengping, seeing Cheng Jemin and Gu Xixi's neat attire, felt a bit embarrassed about the state of the room.

Cheng Jemin sat down casually, introduced himself briefly, and then got straight to the point, "Manager Sun, I heard you're planning to take over the trade center?"

"Yes, what about it?" Sun Chengping hesitated, then took out a cigarette. "Although the trade center has closed, I'm not giving up. I want to see if I can make it thrive under my management."

Cheng Jemin looked at Sun Chengping and smiled, "I want to ask how your funding for taking over the trade center is coming along?"

"We're still short of a small amount, but we'll manage to raise it. It's not a problem." Sun Chengping felt that Cheng Jemin's visit was related to the takeover, so he spoke confidently.

A fundamental skill in business is to act only when there's a profit and to maximize it. In front of competitors, Sun Chengping had to be careful with his words and actions, maintaining a low profile and being cautious.

Cheng Jemin smiled, "I was planning to discuss a partnership with you, but it seems I'm a bit late." As he spoke, he stood up, pretending to leave.

Gu Xixi had been sitting quietly next to Cheng Jemin. She could tell that Sun Chengping was putting on a brave face. Seeing Cheng Jemin's act of leaving, she realized: This guy is really slick! Not only did he throw out a bait to Sun Chengping, but he also made him contradict himself, completely taking control. It seems he really has a knack for business!

Sun Chengping had thought Cheng Jemin wanted to take over the trade center too, but now he realized the young man wanted to discuss a partnership. Desperate for funds, he quickly stood up and said, "Mr. Cheng... Mr. Cheng, we do have some funds, but we can share the profits. Don't leave, please sit down, let's talk!"

Cheng Jemin, seeing Sun Chengping's nervousness, didn't press him and sat down, "Manager Sun, you should have said that earlier. I thought I was too late!"

Looking at Cheng Jemin's young face, Sun Chengping's mind raced. Judging by their attire, these young people didn't seem to lack money. If he could attract them, the funding issue wouldn't be a big problem.

With this in mind, he enthusiastically introduced the mall's location and prospects. Cheng Jemin listened quietly, nodding inwardly. Sun Chengping's success wasn't a fluke. Without the diary's description, Cheng Jemin wouldn't have thought as far ahead as Sun Chengping.

This only made Cheng Jemin more determined to partner with Sun Chengping. After Sun Chengping finished speaking, he asked seriously, "Manager Sun, if you take over the trade center, what do you plan to do with it?"

Sun Chengping, meeting Cheng Jemin's gaze, felt an invisible pressure weighing on him.

PS: A new week is starting, and I look forward to everyone's continued support for Quan Xiong. Don't forget to recommend, click, and collect! Xiao Mao bows to all of you!

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