After finishing up at the bar, Chen Jin and I grabbed a quick bite in the old town and went our separate ways. I went to Nicole's bar, not to discuss business, but simply to relax. The new girl at the bar told me that Nicole and Cao Xue had gone to Lijiang early that morning; their bar there was opening soon, and they'd probably be staying for two or three days before returning.

I envy Nicole. In the past two years, she has been steadily building her career, and it has gradually taken off. Unlike me, I climbed high but fell hard. Even when I made money, I felt incredibly empty. I had a mentality similar to that of a nouveau riche. So, speculative businesses really can't be run as a long-term strategy. This is also a major reason why I didn't want to go to Thailand with Ping Ge to develop my career.

After drinking a bottle of beer, An'an, whom I hadn't contacted for a few days, also came to the bar... She was quite happy to see me, so after greeting me, she sat down opposite me, seemingly wanting to chat with me for a while.

She asked me, "Why are you drinking alone all by yourself?"

"I haven't been feeling well these past couple of days, and I'd like to relax a bit... What would you like to drink? My treat?"

An An smiled and replied, "I don't feel like drinking if I have someone to talk to."

"I really can't think of anything to talk about... Why don't you have a drink?"

"You can't find it? I have it... I've been feeling increasingly tired lately, and I really want to go for a walk by myself..."

"Isn't he coming to keep you company?"

"He's becoming less and less willing to come... I don't know what he's busy with..."

"Then you should go out and relax. Staying in this state all the time will make you sick."

An An fiddled with the glass on the table for a long time before sighing and replying, "If only I had that much freedom... He's a very domineering person. If he doesn't let me leave Dali, I really can't go anywhere."

I gave him a sympathetic smile and replied, "Tell him how you feel, and then we can discuss it properly."

"Do you think there's any room for negotiation in a relationship that's never been equal? ​​... Forget it, instead of hoping for the best and trying to negotiate with him, I'd rather find some fun in Dali... Are there any fun places to visit in Dali? I'd like to go explore tomorrow."

"You can take a walk around Xizhou. Although the ancient city is not as big as this one, it is much quieter."

"I've already been there. Can you think of any other fun places?"

"Then I really don't know..."

An An looked disappointed. She had said she wouldn't drink, but she called the waiter over and ordered a cocktail.

During the brief silence, I was thinking about the bar's opening event when I suddenly noticed An'an's car keys on the table. A brilliant idea flashed into my mind, and I came up with a plan.

With a hint of excitement, I asked An'an, "Have you participated in any local car enthusiast gatherings?"

"Never, what's wrong?"

"Car club activities are actually quite interesting...you think..."

Ah, why do people buy the same car? It's definitely because they have similar financial means and aesthetic tastes... People gather together because of cars, which is basically a sign of shared interests... Plus, car clubs usually organize a lot of fun activities, which are perfect for someone like you who's always free.

"Now that you mention it, it actually sounds interesting, but how do I join a car club?"

I thought for a moment and replied, "The more high-end the car, the stricter the membership review process will be... Did you bring your vehicle registration certificate?"

An'an rummaged through her handbag and pulled out the vehicle registration certificate, then handed it to me. I was overjoyed and immediately took out my phone, found the WeChat group number for the Porsche car owners' club in Dali, and sent an add request to the group using An'an's WeChat account.

Just as I expected, to become a member of this WeChat group, you have to send a photo of your car key and vehicle registration certificate to the group owner for verification; this is normal, after all, those who can drive a Porsche are either rich or the elite of the elite... Their circle is actually a resource pool worth a fortune, so of course they will be wary of outsiders coming in to "fish" in troubled waters.

An'an is a genuine Porsche owner, so the group admin added her to the WeChat group after only two or three minutes.

I asked An'an for her opinion, asking if she minded if I chatted with the people in the group from her perspective. An'an said it was no problem.

After chatting for a while and feeling more comfortable with each other, I expressed to the group leader my idea of ​​hosting a car enthusiasts gathering at our bar. I also mentioned that all drinks would be provided at cost price on the day of the event, and if they felt the bar's drinks weren't high-end enough, they could bring their own.

Given that An'an is a beautiful woman, and also a Porsche owner, the group leader readily agreed and scheduled the car enthusiasts' gathering for the day our bar opened.

My mood immediately improved... I had a feeling this would be a very successful marketing case because we found the right people.

This is not hard to explain. People who are willing to join car clubs are generally sociable, which aligns with the theme of our bar. Their presence will definitely help liven up the atmosphere. Furthermore, these high-end individuals are also a very valuable customer resource. If we can attract them and turn them into regular customers, their spending power will definitely bring the bar's revenue to a very high level and also enhance the bar's overall image.

I let out a heavy sigh of relief, finally feeling like I had found myself again. I smiled and said to An'an, "I absolutely have to treat you to this drink today. You've done me a huge favor."

An'an looked at me with a bit of doubt. I laughed out loud, then raised my glass, gesturing for her to clink glasses.

After finishing the wine in my glass, I finally told An'an all my thoughts...

An An nodded, her face full of admiration, and said to me, "Michael... if you have any flaws, it's that you're too smart."

"Yes!"

"Please don't flatter me too much... Intelligence is a double-edged sword. Sometimes I think much more than others, and my self-esteem is also much stronger than others!"

As I said these words, I recalled the scenes from yesterday in Shanghai. All my weaknesses and vulnerabilities were exposed in that city, and in the end, I could only return to Dali with a deep sense of loss and regret.

...

After taking a sip of her wine, An'an smiled and said to me, "Honestly... I think you look so much better than when you were in the hospital... You seem to have a really strong drive to strive for something now... Can you tell me who gave you this change?"

I lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and replied, "This isn't about change... it's about the strength she gave me, making me especially want to find my former self and yearn for success!"

"who is she?"

I was lost in thought for a long time before I looked at An'an and said, "She's waiting for me... a woman waiting for me in Shanghai!"

(End of this chapter)

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