Incorporating "cherry brandy" into "millet porridge"

After Meng Yihe finished washing up, she forced herself to cheer up and changed into a new suit. Just as she opened her bedroom door, the door to the room next door opened at the same time.

Cui Yu walked out, looking refreshed and impeccably dressed, with that ambiguous smile still on his face.

His gaze naturally fell on Meng Yihe, and he looked him up and down. His tone was relaxed: "Good morning, Director Meng. You look better than last night, but..." He paused deliberately before slowly adding, "Your pheromones are still not tight enough, a bit too strong."

Meng Yihe's body stiffened instantly, his ears turning red at a visible speed—not from embarrassment, but from pure rage. He glared fiercely at Cui Yu, his eyes like knives, wishing he could pierce through the other's annoying smiling face, and gritted his teeth as he whispered, "Shut up! Don't mention last night again!"

"Last night? What happened last night?" Cui Yu raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion, but the smile in his eyes deepened.

"Oh, you mean you accidentally leaked information everywhere? Don't worry, I've already forgotten about it."

He's clearly trying to hide something obvious.

Meng Yihe was so angry she almost choked, her fists clenched tightly, but due to her physical condition and the occasion, she could only forcefully suppress her anger and squeeze out two words through gritted teeth: "...I'm leaving." After all, it was true that Cui Yu had taken care of her during her sensitive period last night. After saying that, Meng Yihe strode towards the elevator first, her back stiff, as if she could leave the conversation behind.

Cui Yu chuckled softly as he watched Cui Yu's almost unsteady back, and followed him in a good mood.

The two ate in silence in the restaurant.

Meng Yihe ate very little, her complexion was still not good, and she avoided making any eye contact with Cui Yu throughout the process, radiating a low-pressure atmosphere that said "keep away".

Cui Yu ate leisurely, occasionally glancing at the guy across from him who seemed to be burying his face in his plate, finding it extremely amusing. He noticed that Meng Yihe only drank black coffee and barely touched any solid food.

After a while, Cui Yu stood up.

Meng Yihe looked up at him warily. But Cui Yu simply walked to the dining table and returned with a bowl of warm millet porridge and a boiled egg, which he placed naturally beside Meng Yihe.

“You’re very vulnerable during this period, so just drinking coffee won’t do.” His tone remained normal, even somewhat businesslike. “We have an inspection mission today, and it would be even more troublesome if President Meng collapsed from exhaustion outside.” After saying that, he stopped looking at Meng Yihe’s reaction and sat down to continue eating his breakfast.

Meng Yihe stared at the steaming bowl of porridge, then glanced at the man across from him pretending nothing was wrong. Finally, he pursed his lips, picked up his spoon, and silently began to eat.

The porridge was at just the right temperature, gently soothing my still somewhat uncomfortable stomach.

The second day's inspection was more in-depth and targeted, and they made an appointment to visit the MixC operations management center.

Standing in front of the monitoring screen, Meng Yihe, while still expressing reservations about the "mediocrity" of the overall business model, couldn't help but admire its powerful data-driven capabilities. Heat maps displayed real-time customer flow distribution, and consumption data provided precise analysis of customer preferences. It could even predict energy consumption demands at different times and in different areas.

"Efficiency is paramount, data is king," Cui Yu commented softly from the side, his tone tinged with admiration. "This is an advantage we cannot deny."

This time, Meng Yihe did not immediately refute, but silently watched the scrolling data stream on the screen, her brows furrowed, clearly deep in thought.

In the afternoon, they focused their inspection on the MixC shopping mall's membership center and marketing event venue.

Meng Yihe scoffed at what seemed like a clichéd parent-child carnival, but was drawn to its detailed process planning, supplier management, and anticipated new member acquisition and consumption stimulus data.

“The event may lack ‘class’,” Cui Yu said casually, seemingly seeing through his thoughts. “But look at the level of sponsorship from the participating brands and the pre-embedded sales leads; the return on investment is calculated very clearly. Business sometimes doesn’t need so much highbrow stuff.”

“But we can’t just have the common folk.” Meng Yihe finally couldn’t help but reply, but her tone was no longer as sharp as yesterday; it was more like a stubborn insistence.

Cui Yu smiled and didn't continue the argument.

The last stop on the tour was the rooftop garden.

This area has been designed as a casual dining space and a small observation deck, offering panoramic views of the city skyline of Nanzhou. Compared to the bustling commercial space downstairs, this place offers a rare sense of tranquility.

The two stood by the railing, gazing into the distance.

Recent in-depth investigations suggest that the initial fierce opposition has subsided considerably.

"See that?" Cui Yu suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "The success of MixC is not due to how amazing one aspect of it is, but because it has perfected all the 'mediocre' details and integrated them into an almost flawless and efficient system."

"Stay calm, be reliable, and make money."

Meng Yihe was silent for a moment, the wind ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead. He spoke slowly, his voice much calmer: "I admit its system is powerful, its data accurate, and its operations mature, but..."

He turned his head and looked at Cui Yu. His eyes rekindled that unwavering pursuit of "better."

"If a commercial project is merely an efficient money-making machine, and cannot become an emotional landmark of a city, nor bring people surprises and memories beyond consumption, then its value is ultimately limited." He did not deny MixC, but instead raised a higher requirement.

Cui Yu looked at him, but didn't immediately refute him with costs and reality as he had before. He saw the light in Meng Yihe's eyes that hadn't been extinguished by reality, that desire for "creation" rather than just "copying".

At that moment, he suddenly felt that this "impractical" idealism might be exactly what "Xinghua Plaza" truly needs in the future.

"Perhaps." Cui Yu finally just smiled, his answer somewhat ambiguous. He turned his head and looked back at the distant city. "So, that's the real problem, isn't it? How to combine your 'emotional coordinates' with my 'efficient system'."

Meng Yihe paused slightly, looking at Cui Yu's profile.

He was surprised not to hear any direct denial or sarcasm from the other party.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the two of them in a warm golden glow.

The site visit to MixC Mall officially concluded at this moment. However, their discussions and negotiations regarding the future of "Xinghua Plaza" entered a new and deeper phase. The van returning to the hotel drove smoothly along the streets of Nanzhou as the city lights began to twinkle. The atmosphere inside the van was no longer as tense and silent as it had been on the way there, but it was by no means relaxed and harmonious either; a thoughtful calm permeated the air.

Meng Yihe leaned against the car window, watching the dazzling lights rushing past outside. His mind was still comparing the artistic atmosphere of "Pingcheng Art Gallery" with the efficient system of "MixC Mall." His profile appeared somewhat blurry in the flickering light.

Cui Yu sat next to him, her fingers unconsciously tapping her knees, as if she was also processing the day's events.

"So," Cui Yu finally broke the silence, his voice low and thoughtful, "I've seen two extremes. One is tasteful but making money might depend on luck, the other can make money but is a bit lacking."

He used the same words Meng Yihe used to describe MixC yesterday.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yihe slowly turned his head. He didn't immediately refute, but remained silent for a moment before speaking: "It's not an extreme case. The success of 'Pingcheng Art Gallery' is not accidental; its uniqueness and experiential aspects are its core competitiveness. As for 'MixC'..."

He paused, seemingly somewhat reluctant, but still admitted, "Its system operation capabilities are indeed worth learning from." This was the first time he had explicitly affirmed MixC's advantages.

Cui Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise, turned her head to look at him, and a playful smile appeared on her lips.

"Oh? It's really not easy to hear those words from President Meng. It seems this trip was worthwhile."

Meng Yihe was annoyed by his words, glared at him, and her tone hardened again: "I'm just giving an objective evaluation. Learning doesn't mean copying. Its model lacks uniqueness and cannot become the future of 'Xinghua Plaza'."

“Uniqueness can’t put food on the table, Director Meng.” Cui Yu retorted habitually, but his tone was not as confrontational as before; it was more like a discussion.

"But completely ignoring uniqueness will indeed lead to mediocrity. The challenge lies in how to highlight the uniqueness of 'cherry brandy'..."

Cui Yu deliberately used this metaphor, which carries a strong personal connotation.

"Put it into a business model that is as warm and effective as 'millet porridge'."

His sudden mention of pheromones caused Meng Yihe's body to stiffen instantly, her ears burning. The enclosed space of the carriage suddenly seemed to become cramped.

He abruptly turned his head to look out the window, and muttered in a harsh voice, "...Shut up."

Cui Yu chuckled softly, seemingly pleased with the other person's reaction. He didn't continue with that sensitive topic, but instead steered the conversation back on track.

"Alright, let's get down to business. What are your thoughts on the third project, Director Meng? After looking at these two, you should have some direction now."

When the topic shifted to a more professional level, Meng Yihe's emotions calmed down somewhat. He pondered for a moment and said, "We need to find a case study that represents a 'middle ground.' It shouldn't be a purely cultural and creative park, nor a standardized shopping mall. Ideally, it should be a project that has successfully combined culture, art, or a unique theme with mature commercial operations, of moderate size, and of reference value."

“The requirements aren’t low.” Cui Yu stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I remember there’s a place called ‘Gusu Lane’ in Suling, which was transformed from an old street. It focuses on new Chinese aesthetics and a collection of designer brands, and its reputation and business seem to be quite good. There’s also a place called ‘Art Harbor’ in Haicheng recently, which was converted from an old dock warehouse. It emphasizes the combination of marine culture, art exhibitions and commerce.”

The two had an in-depth discussion about their choice of the third stop on the train, even taking out their phones to search for information to support their points. The debate still existed, but it was no longer a simple matter of negating each other; instead, it was an attempt to find an optimal solution based on their observations of the first two stops.

Neon lights flashed past the car window, while the two men talked inside.

On the way back to the hotel, the discussion continued.

At the elevator, Cui Yu suddenly suggested, "Why don't we order some food and bring it to my room? Let's go through the preliminary information on those two projects we just mentioned, finalize them as soon as possible, and let the team arrange their schedules in advance."

Meng Yihe hesitated for a moment.

He instinctively wanted to reject this overly "intimate" working style. But the urgency he felt to move the project forward as quickly as possible, and the rare focused atmosphere of their discussion in the car earlier, made him nod almost unconsciously.

"...Okay, get it done quickly."

So the living room in the hotel room became a temporary meeting room.

The laptop was open, documents were spread out on the coffee table, and the lightly seasoned takeout dishes were placed to one side.

"The new project in Haicheng, 'Art Harbor,' is a transformation of an old wharf and warehouse area, focusing on the combination of marine culture, art exhibitions, and commerce. It is neither a simple cultural and creative park nor a traditional shopping mall; its moderate size makes it perhaps more worth checking out."

Meng Yihe seems to have a slight preference for ocean-themed topics.

Cui Yu nodded thoughtfully: "'Art Harbor'... I have a vague impression of it."

"They used an old shipyard to create a water screen theater, and a large marine life art installation has become a popular photo spot. In terms of attracting businesses, they have brought in many distinctive brands with nautical and environmental themes, rather than just regular shops."

Cui Yu immediately grasped the key characteristics of the project: "It does sound like the 'middle ground' you're looking for. However, for a project with such a strong theme, the operating costs and customer flow stability are questionable."

“That’s why we need to see for ourselves,” Meng Yihe said firmly. “To see if they have truly achieved integration, or if they are merely wearing a superficial veneer of the theme.”

“That makes sense,” Cui Yu agreed. “The difficulty and sustainability of implementing the theme concept are indeed key considerations.”

The laptop screen displayed images of the project: a huge rusty crane was preserved as a landscape sculpture, a pool of azure "seawater" surrounded the warehouse-converted shops, the roof was transformed into a terrace restaurant with views of the real coastline, and there were also small aquariums and art galleries inside.

“Preserve industrial relics, incorporate marine elements, and add modern art and commerce…” Meng Yihe looked at the pictures, her eyes focused, her fingers unconsciously tapping the table. “This transformation idea is very inspiring, and it has more impact than simply restoring the old or standardizing it.”

Cui Yu, however, was more focused on the data: "Their investment in this 'immersive experience center converted from an old ship' is considerable... Look at their ticket prices and visitor numbers. Also, the maintenance costs for these waterfront shops are definitely higher than for ordinary shops; moisture and corrosion prevention are issues..."

The two fell into a familiar pattern once again: one was drawn in by creativity and uniqueness, while the other kept a close eye on costs and operational feasibility. But their goals were aligned—to evaluate the reference value of the "Art Harbor" model.