Chapter 58 Nie Qingqing is also returning to Hai City to prepare for the market opening...
On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, she saw off her mother, brother and sister-in-law, and Tanggao. She rested at home for a day and went back to work on the eighth day.
Her sister-in-law stayed here for about ten days during the Chinese New Year. The longer she stayed, the more she felt that the ground floor apartment with a yard was spacious and convenient. She said she hoped that Yuanda could develop one in Haishi.
As if on cue, less than a month into her job, Attorney He contacted her, saying that Yuanda was preparing to expand its market in Haishi and had successfully acquired a plot of land. The plot's floor area ratio was suitable for building stacked villas like those in the Shanshui Renjia residential area.
This is Yuanda's first project in Haishi. Attorney He is going there and hopes that Nie Qingqing can come with him. Although she can come back in between, she will have to stay in Haishi for more than a year.
This is a real dilemma. Tangyuan Xiaoyuan is in her final year of high school in the second half of the year, and Song Zhao is busy at the factory. If she leaves, the family will be affected to some extent.
But she also knew in her heart that in this position, with this salary, she would do whatever the company assigned her. Attorney He did not force her and told her to consider it before giving an answer.
When Nie Qingqing returned, she discussed the matter with Song Zhao, Tang Yuan, and Xiao Yuan. She was undecided about going on a long business trip to Haishi and was having trouble balancing family and work.
“I don’t think it matters much whether I go or not. We’re just following a mature model. As long as we follow the model, there shouldn’t be any problems. Attorney He even personally oversaw the initial preparations.”
Tangyuan was the first to object to the excuse Nie Qingqing had given.
"Mom, what do you mean by not being able to balance family and work? Back then, Dad was ostracized in the factory back home, and he came here to work hard on his own before bringing us here. Now it's not your place to balance things? We don't have any elderly or young children to take care of now, so what can't you balance? I support you."
Nie Qingqing knew everything Tangyuan said. Indeed, she was making excuses. She couldn't bear to be separated from Song Zhao, and she was worried about Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan's studies. Sigh, she was worrying too much about things that hadn't happened yet.
...
Song Zhao didn't want to be separated from Qing Qing, but this idea was selfish. If he really said that, he would be no different from Meng Kaiyang.
He and Qingqing were at the peak of their energy and hard work. His career was developing, and so was Nie Qingqing's. There was no reason for either of them to sacrifice the other's career. When problems arose, the family would work together to find solutions.
Song Zhao said, "Whoever does the project makes a huge difference in the outcome. Let me ask you this: if you didn't have to consider your family, would you still go?"
There's no need to think about it, of course I'll go!
Nie Qingqing said, "If I were only considering myself, I would go without hesitation."
Song Zhao no longer hesitated; if Qingqing wanted to go, then he would support her.
He analyzed for her: "Think about it, if Yuanda's first project in Haishi wasn't important, Attorney He wouldn't have gone there personally. This land cost much more than the land in Shanshui Renjia, and the sales pressure is huge. Attorney He needs help, and you're willing to go. Don't worry about things at home, just focus on your own career development."
Tangyuan also assured, "Mom, don't use me and Xiaoyuan as an excuse. If you bring it up later and say that you didn't go because of us, who can bear that responsibility? Just like Dad said, you should think about yourself."
Xiao Yuan also encouraged her, "Mom, there's another advantage to you going. If your aunt wants to buy something later, she can ask you for a number."
...
Nie Qingqing considered it for a night and told Attorney He that her family had made arrangements and she was willing to go.
The design was done by the same design team that Shanshui Renjia had previously collaborated with. They first conducted a site survey, submitted design proposals, and held meetings to discuss the details. Only after the design was finalized did Nie Qingqing go over.
By the time she arrived, two months had passed since the Lunar New Year. The upstairs neighbor, who had promised to start renovations after the New Year, hadn't made a move yet.
Nie Qingqing said to Song Zhao, "If the upstairs neighbor starts renovations, give me a call to let me know."
Song Zhao said, "Okay, go to Haishi and stay at Xiaoyin's house. If you're too tired after get off work, go to sleep first. If you still have energy, call me. I'm not at home; I'm working overtime at the factory. Try calling both places."
Nie Qingqing was actually very reluctant to separate, but she was still young and had to work hard. She also thought that interpersonal relationships were a kind of asset, so she should save up more and leave some intangible assets for her family.
The project being developed in Shanghai is tentatively named Yuanda Mountain and Water Residence, with the idea of creating a series of mountain and water landscapes in the future.
In Pengcheng, Yuanda has a good reputation, but in Haishi, everything is starting from scratch, and the sales pressure is huge. So, the entire project team is on high alert in terms of design and construction. As soon as Nie Qingqing arrived, things got busy.
...
Time flies when you're busy. I finally managed to find a day to visit her mother and talk to my sister-in-law about reserving a house number, but my sister-in-law wasn't there. Her mother said she was out inspecting the store.
“I originally wanted your brother to go, but your sister-in-law said she needed to toughen herself up. I was worried about her going out alone, but she insisted on building up her courage. I had no choice but to let her go. She's been gone for a week now. She has many shops, so she probably won't be back for another two weeks.”
"Can you patrol the stores in Pengcheng?" Nie Qingqing asked.
“We should be able to,” Tang Guizhi said. “We should go to such a large demonstration store in Pengcheng.”
What a coincidence! My sister-in-law can also go and check on Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan.
Nie Qingqing said about the house: "My sister-in-law has been thinking about buying a house and settling down. I don't know if she's serious or just saying it casually. This is Yuanda's first project in Haishi, so there's a high chance we won't have to go through a lottery. But if we want to buy the best location, I'll take her to choose one before the official launch. Mom will ask her later if she's going to buy this time or wait a bit."
"I'll definitely buy it."
Tang Guizhi said, "Your sister-in-law has been talking about it for a long time. She wants to buy a one-stop shop developed by your company, which she trusts. You can save it for her and take her to choose one that suits her taste in advance."
...
"Okay then," she said. Back at the project office, she reported the interior design plan for the model room to Attorney He.
The main structure of Building No. 1, which is used as a model house and demonstration area, has been completed. The interior design drafts have been revised several times. Nie Qingqing took the three hand-drawn design drawings that she approved to Lawyer He for a report.
"I've visited quite a few upscale residences around here, and these three styles are the final designs. Which one do you think we should choose?"
Each of these three styles has its own advantages: the simplified Chinese style is magnificent and grand, the European style is rich and elegant, and the modern style is a continuation of the previous Shanshui Renjia model house style, which is Lawyer He's favorite.
Everyone has different preferences and aesthetics, and these three sets each have their own advantages, making it difficult to choose one over the other.
Attorney He made a bold decision: "Let's turn all three duplex villas in Unit 1 of Building 1 into model homes, each with a different style. We can save the model homes for the end, as they can still be sold."
Nie Qingqing was startled: "This will increase the renovation costs for two more sets."
Attorney He laughed and said, "With such a large development, why would we care about a little decoration cost? If we can finish the upper, middle, and lower units, potential buyers who like these three types of units will have even less hesitation. Seeing the actual units will give them the motivation to buy, and that's how it's decided."
Attorney He has a broader perspective; Nie Qingqing made the arrangements.
Based on the age range of buyers for the various apartment types in Shanshui Renjia, she decided to design the lower duplex as a simplified Chinese style, the middle duplex as a European style, and the upper duplex as a modern style.
Attorney He had no objection, and asked, "Your sister-in-law said she wants to buy the lower-level unit. Should we reserve the model apartment for her?"
Nie Qingqing quickly waved her hand: "I'll keep the model apartment in Pengcheng as part of the project's annual salary. My relatives can't take advantage of the renovation. Just choose normally."
Actually, if Qingqing had helped her sister-in-law decide to buy the model apartment, she would have agreed, but Qingqing didn't. Attorney He was happy; she hadn't misjudged her.
...
The model house will start construction at the end of June, and the decoration and landscaping demonstration area will be completed in July and August. It is expected to open for sale in September, so we need to start advertising now.
Once the advertisement was put up, people started coming in to inquire. These were all potential buyers. The sales department made brochures of several properties they had previously developed in Pengcheng and gave one to every potential customer who came. They were warmly received and left a good impression.
In late June and early July, Nie Qingqing took ten days of annual leave and went back home a few days before the summer vacation started. Before the school holiday, she went to find Tangyuan Xiaoyuan's homeroom teacher to talk about the two children's studies.
She came back without telling anyone, a surprise and a surprise.
It's a surprise for Song Zhao, and Xiao Yuan will be happy too. But it's hard to say about Tang Yuan. She's always been worried about him, so this surprise attack is a good opportunity to see what kind of trouble he might cause.
After getting off the train, she called her teacher, who asked her to come over at noon.
Nie Qingqing took a car to school. There was still half an hour before get out of class ended. She was hungry, so she looked around and prepared to find a small restaurant for lunch.
The biggest change near the school in the past six months is the newly opened fried chicken king. Its bright red storefront sign is truly unforgettable.
The queue was almost reaching the door, and the aroma of fried chicken wafted out, making everyone even hungrier.
The price tag was posted in the shop window, and the hamburger in the picture looked big and tempting. The price was half that of McDonald's, so she thought it was worth a try and joined the queue.
The shop's decor and environment were quite nice, and the prices were reasonable. She bought a hot, crispy chicken burger, a pair of spicy chicken wings, and a soda, and sat down to eat.
I must say, the taste is quite good. It's different from McDonald's, but just as delicious, and it definitely gives you a sense of satisfaction that's great value for money.
Not bad! Who owns this place? It's right by the school gate; where would students get so much money? It should be located in a busy area; business would be much better there.
...
The school bell rang, signaling the end of the morning class. Guessing that the teacher had finished lunch, she hurried to the school and chatted with the teacher about Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan's situation.
When the teacher spoke of Xiaoyuan, her eyes were filled with a smile of satisfaction: "With Xiaoyuan's grades, he can aim for one of the top-ranked universities. If he does well, his family will be happy, and he will also bring honor to the school."
Nie Qingqing was very excited when she heard this. When the topic of Tangyuan came up, she was really terrified: "I'm away on a business trip this semester and can't take care of the kids. Is Tangyuan behaving well at school?"
Fortunately, the teacher said, "Tangyuan's grades have been relatively stable this semester. In the last monthly exam, her ranking did not change. She still has a year left in her senior year. If she makes a final push, she still has a chance to get into a top university."
With Nie Qingqing not home, Tangyuan kept her promise, didn't cause any trouble, and her grades didn't drop, so she was quite satisfied.
However, the teacher mentioned a strange phenomenon: Tangyuan has been getting sleepy in class lately.
“Sometimes he will stand up and listen to the lesson on his own initiative, and even let Xiao Yuan prick him with a needle. Parents should pay more attention to this.”
Nie Qingqing quickly replied, "Don't worry, teacher, I will definitely cooperate with the school to find out why he is sleepy."
...
When she came back, she talked to the teacher. Nie Qingqing was very satisfied with Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan's self-discipline. She went to the class to find the two children and asked them. The students said that Tangyuan was never seen at noon, and Xiaoyuan was in the library because he thought the classroom was noisy.
Nie Qingqing roughly figured out that Tangyuan's drowsiness was related to him running out at noon. If he ran out at noon, how could he not run out after school?
If this child can still maintain his/her grades and prevent them from declining, wouldn't it be better if he/she set aside more time for studying?
She went to the library first, and sure enough, Xiao Yuan was quietly reading. She was very pleased and thought it best not to disturb him. If she asked him now, Xiao Yuan would be uneasy all afternoon and it would affect his concentration in class.
Tomorrow's the weekend, I'll ask again when I get home tonight.
...
She left the school and waited for the bus at the gate. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a figure flashing by at the fried chicken shop across the street. Didn't it look just like a glutinous rice ball?
She was certain, she couldn't be mistaken, that this kid wasn't working a temporary job at the fried chicken shop, was he?
It can't be that bad. He's handed over his small appliance business to his younger brothers. Tangyuan's values mean he would never do odd jobs, and the boss wouldn't dare hire him anyway.
She rushed over, and sure enough, it was glutinous rice balls; he was busy in the kitchen.
Instead of studying at school in the middle of the day, he came to a fried chicken shop! Nie Qingqing was instantly furious and shouted, "Tangyuan, what are you doing?"
That was her mother's voice! "Oh no!" Tangyuan jumped in fright, rushed out, and complained, "Mom, you suddenly came back without even saying goodbye!"
Doesn't Nie Qingqing know him well enough? He's definitely hiding something and trying to change the subject.
She wasn't stupid; judging from the situation, she guessed pretty much everything. She pulled him aside, pointed at the sign, and demanded he tell the truth.
"Tell me honestly, do you have any connection with this store?"
"Yes, I own it."
This kid, to be honest, he's a high school student, yet he managed to gather everyone together, solve the problems, and open the shop in half a year. He's quite capable.
How could she not be angry? After finishing the second year of high school, there was only one summer before the final year of high school, and he was still running a shop?
Seeing that her mother was getting angry, Tangyuan quickly begged for forgiveness: "Mom, please don't be angry, I can explain to you."
What was he trying to explain? How dare he compete with fast food chains during such an important stage as high school?
Don't they realize that others have built their businesses with millions of dollars and have such strong brands to back them up? Why should he compete with them for business?
If you're not trying to steal food from the market, but just want to make a little money, what's the difference between opening a shop this year and opening one next year?
...
There was still a final exam to take, so Nie Qingqing held back, sighed, and said calmly, "Mom just went to school and talked to your homeroom teacher for a while. You've done very well this semester, and your grades haven't dropped, so I won't hold it against you."
Tangyuan couldn't believe it: "Mom, you really won't hit me?"
Nie Qingqing: "Why did I hit you? The shop is already open, but your teacher said you've been sleeping in class lately. That won't do. Think about how to resolve this?"
Tangyuan chuckled and praised, "Mom, you've changed so much in the six months you've been gone. You'll be staying for a few days now that you're back, right? Could you watch the shop for me for a few days so I can focus on my exams, okay?"
Nie Qingqing pretended to hit him, then said, "What else can we do? Just make do for a few days. I'll help you, but you have to focus on your exam preparation and perform at your normal level, otherwise you'll have to eat both meals together."
Tangyuan promised, "Mom, you're so understanding, I'll definitely get good grades!"
...
Nie Qingqing was not only tolerant of Tang Yuan, but also did not hold a grudge against Song Zhao and Xiao Yuan. She took a taxi from the school to the factory.
Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Song Zhao asked, "Did you see the fried chicken shop near the school gate?"
Nie Qingqing said, "Not only did I see it, but I also ate it. It tasted really good. Tangyuan is amazing. He actually opened a shop. Where did he get the money? I haven't had a chance to ask him yet."
Song Zhao carefully observed her, and only when he saw that she was really not angry did he say, "Qingqing, you are really different. I was afraid you would be angry about Tangyuan, so I didn't ask and pretended not to know. Xiaoyuan is the same. As for the money, his father paid back more than 10,000 yuan before, and I guess Tanggao contributed some of it. He lent money to Weijun and only told me after he lent it to him. You just rented the shop, renovated it, hired people, and opened the shop. You are very capable."
Nie Qingqing smiled and said, "That's right. His grades haven't dropped yet, so I can't really say anything to him."
...
Two days passed like this, and then came the final exams. We took the exams for two days in a row, and then it was time to wait for the results.
The school grades the papers quickly, and the results were already out when I went to the parent-teacher meeting. Tangyuan did quite well and even improved her ranking by two places.
After returning home from the parent-teacher meeting, Tangyuan asked her proudly, "Mom, how was it? I've improved, haven't I?"
Nie Qingqing locked the door to prevent him from running away. She went into the kitchen, took out a rolling pin, and pointed it at him, saying, "You stand still right now. If you dare to run away, don't ever come back to this house!"
Seeing this, Tangyuan thought, "Damn it, they're going to settle scores later. If I don't beg for mercy now, when will I?"
He knelt down with a thud: "Mom, you promised you wouldn't be angry, so why are you settling scores with me now?"
Nie Qingqing: "I didn't say I wasn't angry. I just didn't want to hit you before the exam. You're really bold. During the most important years of your life, instead of doing what you should be doing, you actually opened a fried chicken shop behind my back!"
Tangyuan immediately admitted her mistake: "I originally planned to open it after the college entrance examination, but my aunt researched and improved the recipe so quickly, and coincidentally, a shop became available across from the school, Uncle Lu had a ready-made construction team, Uncle Liu, who is a designer, has such a good relationship with our family, and Sister Lehan introduced me to a salesperson, so I naturally opened the shop."
Nie Qingqing gave him a whack on the butt: "Still dare to argue? I'll reward you for doing well on your exams, but you should still be punished for opening this shop."
Song Zhao quickly stopped him: "Qingqing, think about it. You hope he gets into a good school so that he can find a good job and have a good life in the future. He runs a fried chicken shop now and earns a good amount of money every month. He can live a good life by running this shop. The goal is the same. His grades haven't dropped either. Our child is excellent. He can do both his studies and business well. A beating is enough to teach him a lesson. Don't beat him anymore."
As Song Zhao said, Nie Qingqing couldn't bring herself to strike again with the stick.
She thought for a moment, then said to Tangyuan, who was still kneeling on the ground, "Get up."
Tangyuan immediately stood up, rubbing her bottom: "Mom, it doesn't hurt at all. Can I keep the shop open?"
Nie Qingqing: "Wait a minute, let me think about it."
...
Tangyuan is so big now, and Nie Qingqing feels pain in her heart when she hits him.
Shumei advised her, "If you ask me, as long as the child is successful, whether it's in studies or other areas, it's fine. Your Tangyuan is already easy enough. If he really turns out like Zhigao, what will you do?"
Compared to that, Nie Qingqing would certainly be content, but people are always greedy.
The teacher said that if Tangyuan takes another year to prepare and persevere, she has a chance to get into a top-tier university. As a parent, how could she not hope for that?
She adjusted her mindset and said, "I've calmed down too. Tangyuan is just like Xiaoyin was back then, thinking about balancing both sides. I can help Xiaoyin, so I should help him too."
He Shumei clapped her hands: "That's right, then you should help him out and get the fried chicken shop running. That way, he won't have to worry about it and can focus on his studies."
For now, this is the only option.
...
Having worked at Yuanda Company for so long, Nie Qingqing understands the legal risks and wants to help Tangyuan eliminate them.
She first asked Tangyuan why it wasn't located in a busy area, or near McDonald's.
Tangyuan said that it was too far away for him to keep an eye on, and besides, it was a brand, and he would look like a knock-off if he were next to it. He suggested that they stay away and focus on building a good reputation first, and then talk about development when he finished his college entrance exams and had more energy.
The logic was clear, and Nie Qingqing knew how to help him.
She asked lawyer Xiao Xun to help Tangyuan's Fried Chicken King register the trademark. Shumei would negotiate the price, so she asked Shumei to help buy the storefront to avoid trouble if the landlord wanted to raise the rent or make demands when the business became successful in the future.
After buying it, there's no need to pay rent. Whether business is good or bad doesn't matter. Tangyuan doesn't have to worry about whether the shop is profitable or not during the stressful time of studying.
In terms of management, she asked Lehan to recommend a store manager, and she took ten days of annual leave to get these things done.
Tangyuan looked at the property certificate in front of him and the trademark contract delivered by the new store manager. He was very excited. Who loved him the most? His mother was the best to him.
...
Now he's a big kid, even taller than Nie Qingqing, and he still hugs his mom with pride: "Mom, you're so good to me. I feel so guilty. Have I disappointed you?"
Nie Qingqing understood and said, "As long as you don't do bad things or harm others, you'll be your mother's pride. I've helped you avoid all the legal and operational risks of this fried chicken shop that I could. I've also found a manager. You'll have to study hard for the next year."
Tangyuan sincerely promised, "Mom, I will focus on my studies this year and I have no intention of opening a branch. Please trust me one more time."
Nie Qingqing believed him, but couldn't help feeling sorry for him, and asked, "Did it hurt when I hit you with that stick last time?"
Tangyuan's bottom had long since healed; the pain was nothing compared to the force of a punch he received in a fight.
He deliberately rubbed his buttocks: "It hurts so much. You can't hit me again next time. I'm so old, it's so embarrassing to be hit on the buttocks."
Nie Qingqing pushed him away angrily: "Keep pretending. I bought you a storefront. Next time I spend money, it will be for Xiao Yuan, not for you."
After the rain, the sky cleared. It's almost time for senior year of high school. This summer, Tangyuan Xiaoyuan won't be going anywhere; she'll be staying home to study.
Nie Qingqing also needs to return to Haishi to prepare for the opening of the market.
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