Just as I was about to say something about Ye Zhi's post on WeChat Moments, I noticed that Yang Sisi also posted a post with a photo around the same time. In the photo, she was in a motorcycle-themed bar in the old town, and her Kawasaki Ninja was parked outside the bar's floor-to-ceiling window. She and the Ninja appeared in the photo from different angles, which was a testament to the photographer's creativity. I couldn't help but wonder who took this cool-looking photo of her?
Looking at Ye Zhi's photos again, I sensed even more the stark differences between the two women's personalities. Ye Zhi was withdrawn, while Yang Sisi went to great lengths to express herself. She not only wore a cool motorcycle outfit but also enlisted a friend who knew photography to help take pictures. To be fair, Yang Sisi's world was more interesting, but Ye Zhi's inner world was more mysterious. For men, these are irresistible temptations, especially since they both possessed beautiful appearances. Therefore, it's not hard to understand why, since I met them, I've always seen them surrounded by various suitors.
Despite the gender differences between men and women, and the different responsibilities they bear in life, I still envy them. But if you really ask me what it is about them that I envy, I can't say for sure.
In the end, I inexplicably gave up the desire to comment on their two posts.
After sitting there alone for a while, I called Sun Jiwei, wanting to invite him out for a few drinks.
...
In a quiet, secluded tavern in the ancient city, Sun Jiwei and I ordered a dozen beers. As we drank and chatted, he asked me with a smile, "Did things not go very smoothly with Cao Jinbo's son?"
"Yeah...that guy is like a rock in a latrine, smelly and hard."
"Then what is his reason for not wanting to rent the shop to you?"
"They don't like me."
"You can't be that unpopular... You just met them once, and they already dislike you?"
I replied with a sense of helplessness, "It's not that I'm unpopular, it's just that I had a falling out with him before. At that time, I didn't know he was Cao Jinbo's son... Isn't this a lot of drama? I've only been in Dali for less than half a year, and I'm already at odds with both of these father and son!"
Sun Jiwei nodded first, then asked, "So what are your plans for the future?"
“I definitely won’t give up. If it really doesn’t work out with Cao Xiaobei, I’ll talk to Cao Jinbo… I remember you said that he spent 12 million yuan on those 16 shops. I don’t believe he’d be willing to leave those 12 million yuan idle without making any use of them.”
“He’s definitely unwilling, but he owns many properties and has many profitable businesses. It’s unlikely that your small rent will sway him.”
I shifted my posture and then said, "Let's make a hypothetical scenario... If Jiulongju Commercial Street becomes popular because of someone or some team, and the value of all the shops doubles or even triples... do you think he would be tempted?"
Sun Jiwei pondered for a moment, then exclaimed, "Brother, your ambition is a bit too big!"
I denied it, saying, "I can't, and I don't have the ability to revitalize the entire commercial street... However, if I can make this happen, it will be a great inspiration to other investors, showing that Jiulongju isn't unprofitable. If everyone is willing to invest, reducing the vacancy rate of shops here, it will generate buzz, starting with the merchants... And if these reopened shops each have their own unique features, creating a shopping desire in consumers, then naturally the entire commercial street will enter a virtuous cycle. In the end, the real beneficiaries will be large businesses like Cao Jinbo, who own more than a dozen shops!"
“Well, if you can get off to a good start, it will definitely give other investors a lot of confidence… But how can you prove that you can definitely get off to a good start? I think that’s very important and the most convincing point.”
“This matter needs to be done, and only after it is actually done can it be proven… Anyway, I feel that this matter will not do any harm to Cao Jinbo. Although the rent is a bit low, it is at least an opportunity for both of us.”
"This person is a mix of truth and deception; I'm afraid he doesn't actually think that way!"
I smiled and replied, "Dealing with people like that is also a kind of training. After thinking it through, I don't think it's a bad thing at all."
Sun Jiwei smiled, raised his glass to me, and drank another bottle of beer with me. Just as I was about to open another bottle, he received another call saying there was a drinking party he absolutely had to attend. Although we hadn't had our fill of drinking yet, he couldn't refuse the other party's request, so he left the tavern... There was still quite a bit of beer left, and I drank it all down in my solitude and with a carefree attitude.
...
The demolition progress at Longkan was much faster than expected. About half a month later, a staff member from the demolition office contacted me to discuss the demolition. The fate of the inn was finally decided. Because of the extra month that Ye Zhi bought for us, the inn earned an extra 100,000 yuan, which was a huge favor. This 100,000 yuan was equivalent to my annual salary and bonuses in Shanghai.
In the past two weeks, I've gained nothing. I tried contacting Cao Xiaobei once, but he didn't answer my calls or reply to my messages. I can only pin my last hope on Cao Jinbo, who is about to return from his vacation abroad. Time is running out, as there are only 26 days left until the Chinese New Year. If I can take over these 16 shops, I'll face the task of simple renovations, adding bedding, and external promotion.
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