NOVPUB"Eh, Brother Qing Fan, you’re so annoying!"
Xu Qingfan let the young girl cling to his wrist as they walked out together.
The osmanthus tree by the door had grown almost as tall as him, and the sunlight on their faces made it difficult to see their features.
[No need to sell the house anymore, that’s great.] He looked back at Lin Wanning’s courtyard and thought to himself.
After they rang the doorbell at Zhang Yiyi’s house, they waited downstairs for a bit before the four of them quickly gathered.
With Zhang Yiyi by her side, Lin Wanning stuck close to her, while Xu Qingfan and Zhang Chunxue walked behind, watching the pair of girls hopping and skipping ahead.
At 168 cm tall, Zhang Chunxue’s hand naturally rested on Xu Qingfan’s shoulder, the two of them walking through the garage like a mother and son.
"Time really flies, you used to be just a little dot up to my thigh," Zhang Chunxue said with a smile as she ruffled Xu Qingfan’s head.
"If only I were a bit taller, then when we go out shopping, people might think we’re siblings!"
"Pfft~ Hahahaha..." Zhang Chunxue shook with laughter, tickled by his words.
"What is it, what is it?"
"Mom, what’s so funny?" The two young girls ran over to ask upon hearing the laughter.
"Haha... Ask your Brother Qing Fan!" Zhang Chunxue said, laughing so hard that she had to double over and hold her stomach while pointing at Xu Qingfan.
Xu Qingfan felt his face growing hot. It was rare for him to make such a saucy comment, and being laughed at like this made him too shy to say it again.
"What’s the big deal? I just said that once I grow taller than Auntie, passersby might even think we’re siblings!" Xu Qingfan said, thickening his skin.
"Right, right, Auntie looks even younger than Miss Guan!" Lin Wanning gave Xu Qingfan a sidelong glance, then turned to speak to Zhang Chunxue.
"Mommy sister!"
"That still wouldn’t make us siblings, haha... More like brother and sister, you little rascal Qing Fan trying to take advantage of Auntie!" After chiding him with a glance, Zhang Chunxue took up the two little cotton-padded jackets and set off again.
Xu Qingfan shrugged his shoulders awkwardly and followed behind.
When they arrived at the Maserati, Zhang Chunxue took out the car keys and pressed them, but the ringing came from a silver-white Maybach parked next to it.
Zhang Chunxue waved to signal Xu Qingfan to come over.
"Auntie, this is a Maybach, right? When did you buy a new car?" Xu Qingfan asked curiously after getting into the car.
"Bought it recently; there’s just too much money and I didn’t know what to do with it. I’ll get you one when you come of age," Zhang Chunxue said as she buckled her seatbelt and started the car.
"Heh heh, then I won’t be polite with you, Auntie." Xu Qingfan also fastened his seatbelt and nodded with a grin.
"Xiao Fan, have you come up with any good business ideas lately? Anything will do."
Before meeting Xu Qingfan in 2002, Zhang Chunxue’s assets, including fixed assets, barely exceeded sixty million.
Now, six years later, she had over three hundred million in the bank alone, and if fixed assets were included, over seven hundred million wouldn’t be a problem.
The bull market in U.S. stocks these past few years had been very kind to her; the Apple shares Xu Qingfan had once bought for two million had increased more than tenfold. Zhang Chunxue’s millions in capital entered the market, and even though not all her investments were in Apple shares, an average eight or ninefold increase was there.
"Business ideas, huh? Let me think." Xu Qingfan started to ponder.
"No rush, Xiao Fan, take your time." Zhang Chunxue smiled through the rearview mirror as she glanced at him.
Xu Qingfan’s first thought was naturally about live streaming and short videos, followed by food delivery, but these would have to wait for the arrival of 4G networks in 2014.
The next idea was to manufacture knockoff smartphones. Lei’s Xiaomi company wouldn’t be established until 2010, and the iPhone, which redefined the smartphone, had launched its first model the previous year. However, without a domestic license, it couldn’t be used properly even if purchased.
Xu Qingfan quickly gave up on that as well. Li City wasn’t the right environment for making smartphones, and though Zhang Chunxue might have managed it using her family connections, what was the point?
Invest in Lei? You’re not the second generation of Goldman Sachs; he doesn’t lack funds or contacts, so why would he take you along for the ride?
After much thought, selling duck necks seemed to be the most reliable option!
"Auntie, I think we could open a milk tea shop. The milk tea market is huge. Nowadays, all kinds of miscellaneous brands are opening up on the streets. If we create a unified standard just like Hao Wei Duck Neck, utilizing direct management, franchises, advertisements, and street promotions, I’m sure it’ll be a hit!" Xu Qingfan thought of the various popular milk tea chain stores from his previous life and said.
"Hehe, Xiao Fan, why do you always think about food!"
"Auntie, auntie, there’s also the coffee shop, a chain like Starbucks!" Lin Wanning’s eyes lit up, and she nodded in agreement.
"Auntie, if you don’t like milk tea, there’s still more. Grandpa Yu’s fried pork chop recipe is also super delicious. We could increase our investment and launch a new pork chop brand!" In the middle of speaking, Xu Qingfan thought of the chicken chop franchise from his previous life and added on.
"That’s worth a try, buying property won’t lead to a loss anyway," Zhang Chunxue nodded thoughtfully.
"Auntie, with so many franchise stores across the province, if both the milk tea shop and pork chop shop get started, we could also set up a delivery service!" Xu Qingfan’s eyes shone brighter as he spoke.
"You mean like calling to order food from KFC?"
"I know, I know, 400823823~" Lin Wanning recited a long string of numbers as naturally as if she were reciting a nursery rhyme.
"No, not that, calling is too much trouble. It’s the internet age now, Auntie. We can set up an online platform, just like online shopping, and order food on the computer!" Xu Qingfan spoke more and more enthusiastically, reiterating the business model from his previous life, "Last year, the phone released by Apple Company works just like a computer. Once these kinds of phones become widespread, we can order food directly from our phones, how convenient will that be!"
As shareholders of Apple Company, almost without spending a penny, they all received a brand-new original iPhone, so Zhang Chunxue was aware of this phone.
"All these ideas came through that phone?" Zhang Chunxue imagined the scene Xu Qingfan described, feeling amazed. A new brain really works better; why couldn’t she come up with so many ideas.
"Pretty much!" Xu Qingfan nonchalantly scratched his head without blushing or skipping a beat.
"I really want to crack open your head and see how it’s filled with so many thoughts every day!"
"Brother Qingfan has always been this smart, duck!" Lin Wanning leaned her head on his shoulder, proudly saying.
The group chatted leisurely, and it wasn’t long before the car entered the provincial committee compound.
After getting out of the car, unlike the last time, this time, everyone had a kind smile on their face.
"Perfect timing, the last dish has just been served," Zhang Chaoqun said as he patted the three of them on the head before inviting them inside.
"Dad, Mom!"
"Eat now that you’re back," Zhang Youwen put down the newspaper in his hands and nodded.
"Grandpa, Grandma," Zhang Yiyi clung to her mother’s trouser leg and called out nervously.
"Hmm."
"Yiyi has grown so tall."
Unlike the last time, this time Zhang Yiyi’s grandparents responded to her.
Surprised by the affection, Zhang Yiyi quickly replied, "Yes... one meter... fifty-one now!"
"Go wash your hands first and let’s talk while we eat!" Zhang Chaoqun warmly ushered the three of them to the restroom to wash up.
This time, as all three of them were little heroes, they got to sit at the main table instead of the kids’ table.
"Sis, I heard you’re lying on a few billion at the bank, got any investment plans recently?" During the meal, Zhang Chunxue’s sister-in-law couldn’t resist her curiosity.
Since currency exchange procedures were necessary for bringing funds into the country and everyone present was an insider, it wasn’t surprising that they knew about Zhang Chunxue’s wealth.
"I’ll continue with the food and beverage industry, with some preliminary ideas," Zhang Chunxue thought of what Xu Qingfan had said in the car and responded with a smile.
"Then you could invest in Mei City, your big brother can help out here as well!" Zhang Chunxue’s big brother was the leading economic official in Mei City, but aside from the famous salt-baked chicken, there wasn’t much else notable.
If Zhang Chunxue could bring in a big business like the Good Taste Duck Necks, it would significantly aid her brother’s career as well.
"Yes, I’ll consider here first," Zhang Chunxue gave a noncommittal answer.
"You should seriously consider it, because it’s a large sum of money after all."
Clearly, not only had the family accepted Zhang Yiyi because of the comic book incident, but having seen her ample capital, Zhang Chunxue also possessed a value not inferior to a strategic marriage, gaining renewed acceptance from the family.
Since it was someone else’s family matter, Xu Qingfan didn’t feel it was appropriate to comment. Besides, Zhang Chunxue’s entrepreneurial efforts had also often leveraged the family name.
It’s okay not to wield the sword in hand, but it’s essential to have it.
But if his ridiculous grandmother and cousins dared to come climbing relations because they knew his family had prospered, Xu Qingfan would definitely be the first to chase them out with a broom!
