Chapter 64 No one knew the pressure she was under…
Xu Yueran is a fan of Zhao Feiyan; she's the kind of fan who traveled to three different cities to see the performance of "Ta Jinlian." ①
That evening, she opened Zhao Feiyan's video account to see if there were any new videos, and to her surprise, there were indeed updates. However, after clicking on it, she was a little confused. It wasn't a dance video or a vlog, but an advertisement for a giveaway.
Zhao Feiyan personally appeared on camera to tell everyone that Qinghe Ancient Town in Qinghe City will open for trial operation on New Year's Day. Anyone who follows her and the official account of Qinghe Ancient Town will have a chance to win a ticket. There are a total of 999 tickets, and each person can only receive one.
Is this an advertisement she accepted?
Xu Yueran was a little confused. This was the first time Zhao Feiyan had advertised for a scenic spot. Before, it was always for beauty and skincare brands.
She asked in the group chat and quickly learned the answer:
[Did you just start following the Empress recently? The Empress has a deep connection with Qinghe Ancient Town, so this can't be considered an advertisement.]
[Remember that little restaurant where she helped out at her relative's place? That relative is supposedly the head chef of Qinghe Ancient Town. The title "Empress" originated from her. She liked to jokingly call herself that, and later, when we fans found out, we thought it fit her image in the dance drama, so we started calling her that too.]
[Furthermore, you can tell from the companies and organizations Yizhu has signed with that. The artisans in Qinghe Ancient Town, the ones who have recently become quite popular, are all signed with the same company. Therefore, we've always suspected that Yizhu and the investors behind Qinghe Ancient Town are acquainted.]
I heard she's a very young female boss; she even went to the Hangzhou premiere, but unfortunately, I don't know who she is.
I see!
Xu Yueran suddenly realized.
Since that's the case, Xu Yueran definitely has to check out what she recommended. She decided to buy a few tickets, since Hangzhou isn't too far from Qinghe City, and she could give them to her friends for the weekend.
She found the "Qinghe Ancient Town" mini-program and was slightly amazed when she opened it.
This is a short, rotating animation composed of strung-together images. Its texture is somewhat like an ancient painting, evoking a sense of nostalgia, as if the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll has been recreated.
In the early morning mist, along the streets and bridges crisscrossed by waterways, beneath the classical and elegant green pavilions, the arched shadows of stone bridges are still hazy in the gray sky. The first small boat selling water chestnuts has already glided out from under the bridge arch. An old man lightly paddles, and the ripples on the water scatter the reflections of the black tiles and white walls.
Gradually, more and more people joined in.
The man carrying the steamer basket lifted the lid, the teahouse by the water creaked as it removed its carved door panel, and the shop assistant at the silk shop lightly brushed the satin with a feather duster... The whole town seemed to wake up.
In the second paragraph, as the sun gradually sets, this ancient water town becomes increasingly lively. After the last rays of the setting sun melt into the water, the ancient town quietly sheds its ink-wash painting style, and lights are lit one by one, creating a dazzling spectacle.
The tavern flags fluttered in the evening breeze, the Hu girls twirled and danced freely, the melodious lyrics of the entertainers blended into the moonlight, and the awning boats with lanterns sailed leisurely on the river, the oars shattering the light and shadows.
The town was even more bustling than during the day, and it didn't fall asleep until late at night.
This is like a day in ancient times.
Xu Yueran found the simple animation, which was only about ten seconds long, quite interesting and played it again. If Qinghe Ancient Town really looked like the one in the animation, she would really like to go and see it for herself.
However, as a native of Jiangnan, I've visited quite a few ancient towns. At first, it was novel, but after visiting so many, I felt they were all pretty much the same. Similar scenery, similar amusement rides, similar food, and even similar souvenirs.
I wonder if Qinghe Ancient Town is any different from other towns?
After the animation, she finally entered the mini-program.
Xu Yueran saw several posters, which should be the actual scenery of Qinghe Ancient Town.
The first photo is an aerial view, showcasing a typical Jiangnan water town with its crisscrossing waterways, white walls, and black tiles—all the essential elements are there. The second photo is of Qinghe Tower, its classical and elegant verdant pavilion bathed in the warm winter sun, shrouded in a veil of light—absolutely stunning.
Xu Yueran was quite satisfied with these two pictures. The details looked exquisite, no less so than in the animation. Especially the green ancient building, which was quite rare and very beautiful.
Buy tickets! Buy tickets!
Xu Yueran's interest was piqued, and she found the way to buy tickets.
"Regular tourist one-day ticket, 80 yuan; two-day ticket, 150 yuan..." She saw the different ticket prices and read them aloud, "Annual pass silver card, 280 yuan; annual pass gold card, 380 yuan; buy now and enjoy an opening discount of 20%. What's the difference between the silver and gold cards?"
Xu Yueran was very meticulous and studied the terms and conditions on the page carefully. She noticed that the silver card couldn't be used on holidays, but the gold card was valid year-round. Furthermore, the silver card offered a 5% discount on purchases within the ancient town, while the gold card offered a 10% discount.
"This price is pretty good," Xu Yueran thought to herself.
She had visited Wuzhen and several other famous water towns, and the ticket prices were all over 100 yuan, with Wuzhen being more expensive. The ticket price for Qinghe Ancient Town was only 80 yuan for the day, and with the opening special, it was a really good deal.
However, she also needed to check if there were any hidden costs or extra fees. She continued reading, and gradually became excited—there were so many activities to participate in at Qinghe Ancient Town!
In addition to regular sightseeing, it even has an intangible cultural heritage workshop area! A single-day ticket allows you to enjoy two attractions for free, while an annual pass includes eight attractions.
Moreover, the various performances inside are free; only food, drinks, souvenirs, and boat rides require additional payment. A shared boat ride costs 20 yuan per person, while a private boat costs 120 yuan. This price is not considered expensive for a tourist area.
Finally, she saw a line of text:
[A single-day ticket includes one free visit to the VR virtual experience center. A second visit requires an additional purchase of 30 yuan.]
What exactly is a VR virtual experience center? It sounds pretty fun.
So, there's quite a lot to do in Qinghe Ancient Town, and the ticket price is really reasonable. Xu Yueran immediately called her best friend: "How about we go to Qinghe Ancient Town for New Year's Day? They have opening discounts now."
My best friend hesitated a bit: "New Year's Day..."
Xu Yueran immediately said, "During the trial operation, the number of people should be controlled. There shouldn't be that many people, right?"
My best friend immediately said, "Let's go! I'll bring Little Carp."
Xiao Liyu is her best friend's daughter and also Xu Yueran's goddaughter. She's a very well-behaved child. She readily agreed: "Sure, sure, it's perfect to take Xiao Liyu along. I'll buy the tickets now."
After putting down her phone, she immediately clicked to buy tickets, only to find that they weren't on sale yet.
Xu Yueran: ...I forgot, it won't go on sale until midnight.
Okay, I'll come again tonight.
The same situation occurred in the comment sections of "Warm Breeze" and "Qin Shi Yue".
For the trial opening of Qinghe Ancient Town, Lu Xiaoqi searched for every social media platform she could find. Her friend Qin Yue and Nuannuanfeng, with whom she had previously interacted, were both happy and enthusiastic in helping to promote it.
She also contacted some travel bloggers and travel merchants who were able to distribute tickets, striving to ensure that the news of Qinghe Ancient Town's upcoming opening reached every potential customer who loved short trips and weekend getaways.
In addition to online channels, various offline advertising campaigns were also launched.
Not only in Qinghe City, but also in several neighboring cities and even the provincial capital, large posters of Qinghe Ancient Town can be seen from the high-speed rail station to the subway station.
Lu Xiaoqi felt a pang of pain when she signed the document.
She enjoyed the advertising campaign, and then she realized she was broke.
After squandering 100 million yuan for more than half a year, only a little over 2 million yuan remains. It sounds like a lot, but it's not even enough to cover the basic monthly expenses of Qinghe Ancient Town. In other words, if no new cash flow comes in, she could declare bankruptcy in just one more month.
It's truly heartbreaking.
Therefore, Lu Xiaoqi attaches great importance to this pre-sale.
She acted remarkably calm at the company, not even staying to watch the live stream of ticket sales. She casually remarked that it was no big deal, that everyone was doing a great job, and that everyone should just take it easy.
The boss's statement calmed down all the excited and nervous employees.
Yes, it's just opening day, and it's even New Year's Day. All the work we've done before will eventually pay off. What's there to worry about?
Unbeknownst to them, Lu Xiaoqi chose to leave early because she was genuinely nervous, fearing she might inadvertently reveal something and affect her colleagues' mood. That evening, as soon as she got home, she burned incense and took a bath, hoping to bring herself some good luck.
God bless you.
At 11 o'clock, she received a message from Su Jun: [Are you home?]
Lu Xiaoqi: [Yes.]
Su Jun: [We'll be right there.]
Su Jun: [I brought you some food.]
Soon, there was a knock on her door. Su Jun and Song Wu Sao stood outside, carrying some things. A figure flashed out from behind them—it was Zhao Feiyan!
Lu Xiaoqi's eyes widened in surprise, and she stammered, "You, you, you, shouldn't you be rehearsing for the show in the capital?"
She knew that Zhao Feiyan and Qin Shaohua's performance had been confirmed for the Spring Festival Gala, and the two were very busy every week, traveling between the capital and the cities they were touring. Sometimes when they were too late, the understudy would take their place on the tour.
Zhao Feiyan smiled and said, "I flew directly from the capital. It just so happens that the tour is in the next city, so I can just take a car there later."
She definitely had to be with everyone for something so important. She couldn't let them forget about her after they got Gongsun Jin.
Lu Xiaoqi was deeply moved and went up to hug her, saying, "You will always be my Sister Zhao!"
Sister-in-law Song Wu also laughed and said, "Originally, Teacher Yuwen and Lao Zhang were also going to come, but Lao Zhang said it was too late now and not suitable for his health regimen. Teacher Yuwen said that he would not come to the girl's house so late."
Ever since she asked Zhang Zhongjing for advice on medicinal herbs suitable for making medicinal cuisine, Zhang Zhongjing has become known as Old Zhang.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaoqi glanced at Su Jun silently.
Su Jun: "...I just came to bring you food."
It's really not appropriate to linger in a girl's room this late.
He put down his things and was about to leave when Lu Xiaoqi rolled her eyes at him and pulled him inside: "Alright, alright, I don't have so many formalities here, come on in."
Besides, he's not the only one.
So, Su Jun sat down quietly again, a small smile curving his lips. He then thoughtfully laid out the late-night snacks on the table: "Here, your favorite taro dumplings made by Chef Tang, Grandma Chen's roasted chestnuts, Chef Feng's braised beef tripe, and Aunt Liu's cold skewers. But it's too late, so it's better to eat less for your stomach."
Seeing how talkative he was, Zhao Feiyan couldn't help but raise her eyebrows and exchange a meaningful look with Song Wu Sao.
But neither of them said anything.
A group of people sat together eating a late-night snack while keeping an eye on the upcoming sales figures.
Lu Xiaoqi said quietly, "I've only been this nervous a handful of times in my life."
Sister-in-law Song asked curiously, "When?"
Lu Xiaoqi: "The night before Singles' Day and when I was scrambling to buy concert tickets."
Song Wu Sao: "...Well, at least this time you're waiting to receive money, not spending it."
Su Jun casually reminded them while scrolling through his phone, "It's about to start."
The decorative clock hanging on the wall pointed to 23:58.
......
In the dormitory of Qinghe University.
Liu Han and her three roommates stared intently at their phones, just like people scrambling to buy tickets to their idol's concert.
Liu Han was worried that her roommates wouldn't take it seriously, so she reminded them again: "I'm telling you, the live stream said that the first 100 tourists who make a reservation will get a 50% discount on their purchases on the day of the event. You'll miss out if you don't get one."
One of her roommates gestured to her: "Don't worry, trust my hand speed."
Another roommate said, "If I don't manage to snag one, I'm planning to try for an annual pass. The first thousand people to get an annual pass get a 10% discount at Song Sao Fish Restaurant, and if I eat there a few times, I'll break even."
Liu Han nodded: "Let's do it this way!"
Anyway, Qinghe University isn't far from Anping County. There's a direct bus from the city center now, and it only takes about forty minutes. On weekends when you have nothing to do, you can go for a stroll and have some snacks. It's wonderful.
It was exactly midnight.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Liu Han muttered to himself as he clicked the purchase button with lightning speed and paid immediately. It was clear that he had honed his skills through years of scrambling for train tickets during the Spring Festival travel rush, grabbing deals during Singles' Day, and snatching concert tickets.
"alright!"
"Oh no, it's stuck... Okay, okay, but I didn't make it into the first 100. Oh well, I'll just buy an annual pass."
Liu Han's roommates shouted, their reactions a mix of joy and sorrow.
In the end, two of the four people bought single-entry tickets, and the other two bought annual passes. The one who bought single-entry tickets planned to check it out first, and if it was fun, they would then buy the annual pass.
"Hurry up and make a reservation, it'll be very popular on New Year's Day," Liu Han reminded.
Nowadays, scenic spots all require real-name registration, and reservations must be made in advance using an ID card.
Xu Yueran also noticed a slight delay when making the payment. Although it was only a few seconds, it's rare to experience such a delay with today's gigabit-speed internet. While this might be due to the instability of mini-programs compared to apps, it also indicates that quite a few people were waiting to grab the deal at the appointed time.
Is it really that popular?
"That's normal. Their social media presence is really impressive. Even though they haven't opened for business in the past six months, they've still made it onto the trending topics list quite a bit and even been featured on national television news," her friend in the group told her.
[Our Empress also deserves some credit for this!]
[Actually, I was thinking of going even before the Empress recommended it. I watched their live stream before, seeing how they fired the glazed tiles and made the brackets, and it really showed their dedication. Then the Empress recommended it, I'm so happy, it's a dream collaboration!]
Xu Yueran calculated that most people in the group had bought tickets, and they would automatically get a refund if they couldn't go anyway.
She thought that Zhao Yizhu would be very happy to see this result, and she couldn't help but feel happy herself.
......
Zhao Feiyan was indeed very happy.
They were listening to a phone call from Chen Yingying in Qinghe Ancient Town—because of the live broadcast of the first day of sales, many people in the company were still working overtime, probably until two or three in the morning, and the office building was almost brightly lit.
"The sales figures for the first hour are in." Chen Yingying's tone was filled with joy. "Through all channels, we sold 38,450 tickets for the day and 4,200 annual passes."
Next to her was the sales manager, who was extremely excited, his voice almost hoarse: "In total, we sold over four and a half million!"
The first hour is usually the busiest time for sales, but with so much time to go, he estimates that the total ticket sales for the day could easily reach over ten million!
He continued, "Most importantly, the backend data shows that more than 3,000 people have booked their spots for New Year's Day, and this number has been steadily increasing."
With so much advertising and so many tickets sold, it's not exactly a surprise. Many people will grab them early and hoard them because of the discounts, but they often end up getting refunds. So the most crucial metric is actually the number of reservations.
On the first day, they set a limit of 10,000 visitors, and planned to have at least 10% of the reservations made in the first hour.
But now that number has clearly exceeded it!
What does this mean? It means that many people who bought tickets were indeed prepared to come over on New Year's Day, and were very much looking forward to it.
Anticipation and welcome—this is a very important market sentiment.
For the company, tickets can only be redeemed and cash can only be received if the person makes a reservation and actually arrives.
Lu Xiaoqi wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she found that her throat was hoarse. She quickly picked up the cup next to her, took a sip of water to moisten her throat, and then she regained her voice.
She praised the sales manager and Chen Yingying a few times, promised to give bonuses to the employees who worked overtime today, and then she didn't know what she said anymore, and the phone just ended.
"I'm going to the restroom." After saying this, Lu Xiaoqi hurriedly went into the restroom without even looking at their reactions.
She was afraid she would burst into tears in front of everyone if she didn't hurry up.
Looking at her red eyes in the bathroom mirror, Lu Xiaoqi sniffed twice, letting the tears that had been welling up in her eyes flow freely. She wiped them haphazardly with a tissue, and then couldn't help but chuckle.
No one knows the pressure she's under.
What if we can't sell the tickets? What if tourists don't respond to this approach?
A loan of 100 million yuan wouldn't really have a big impact on her if she couldn't repay it; the bank could just take the land back, since it wasn't originally hers anyway. What she was worried about was what would happen to the NPCs she had summoned if Qinghe Ancient Town really couldn't be run and was taken over by the bank.
They have no way to return to the system space.
People like Yuwen Kai and Zhao Feiyan are relatively well-off, but what about those with limited freedom who can only survive in Qinghe Ancient Town? Among them are the elderly, children, and innocent underage girls. Although most of them possess skills, it is not easy for them to survive in this world.
Therefore, from November until now, Lu Xiaoqi has been anxious and often suffers from insomnia, even after using Zhang Zhongjing's potent sachet.
Now, the dust has finally settled.
It seems unlikely that Qinghe Ancient Town will go out of business anytime soon.
Thinking of this, Lu Xiaoqi burst into laughter through her tears. She bent down to wash her face, then dried it and went outside.
"I went to the restroom," she explained to the group.
A hint of pity flashed in Su Jun's eyes. Song Wu Sao and Zhao Feiyan pretended not to see that her eyes were still a little red, and invited her to sit down again: "Come, come, now you can rest assured and eat more."
"Let's have a big drink today." Su Jun pulled out a few bottles of wine from the bottom of a plastic bag. "Want some?"
Lu Xiaoqi took a closer look and saw it was pineapple beer. She couldn't help but chuckle and exclaimed with great enthusiasm, "Alright! Let's have some! Let's drink until we drop today!"
As a result, perhaps because of the sudden relaxation, she actually passed out after drinking a can of pineapple beer. While she was unconscious, she was still thankful that she was a good drinker and never caused trouble when drunk, otherwise she would have been incredibly embarrassed.
In my hazy state, I only remember being carried to bed and covered with a blanket by someone.
The moment she touched the bed, she fell into a deep sleep.
Su Jun returned to his residence at around 3 a.m., and Liu Chan had just finished working overtime and returned as well.
"You've been drinking?" He sniffed the faint smell of alcohol on Su Jun and chuckled. "Drinking with the boss?"
Su Jun nodded.
Liu Chan was in a good mood today. She glanced at him and decided to give him some pointers: "Brother, let me tell you, this isn't how you pursue girls. They don't fall for the silent, devoted approach anymore. You have to be proactive, persistent, and boldly confess your feelings..."
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Su Jun frowned, looking displeased and a little scared.
Although interactions between men and women seem very direct nowadays, and society doesn't seem to mind, he still subconsciously refutes such remarks when he hears them.
He felt it wasn't good for the woman's reputation.
"Why are you blushing if I'm talking nonsense?" Liu Chan rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying this to be mean, but Brother Su, anyone who's even a little close to you knows about your little schemes."
Su Jun may seem gentle and easy to talk to on the surface, but once you get to know him, you'll find that he's actually quite difficult to approach. He always keeps a certain distance from people, especially when he's around girls.
Like a flower on a high mountain.
Many girls in the company initially had feelings for him, but in the end, none of them came to fruition.
But when he was with Lu Xiaoqi, he was completely unapproachable, exuding a warm and welcoming aura like a spring breeze.
Su Jun: ......
Liu Chan earnestly advised, "Come, come, Brother Su, let me teach you a few tricks."
He leaned closer and whispered to me, teaching me all the tricks he had learned from novels and TV dramas over the years, without holding anything back.
Su Jun fell silent after hearing this, and looked him up and down several times: "...Is this why you're still single?"
Liu Chan felt as if an arrow had pierced his heart. He stood up angrily and said, "Fine, I'm going to sleep!"
Why are you making personal attacks?
Su Jun stopped him, hesitating slightly, "Um, I wanted to ask about what you said before..."
He shared his thoughts, and Liu Chan leaned back, looking incredulous: "Brother Su, you're really planning to appear on camera? Oh my, let me tell you, you should have made this decision a long time ago! If you had just been willing to show your face, you'd already be a million-follower internet celebrity!"
Su Jun frowned: "The content may need further discussion."
Making a living based on his looks is still a bit too advanced for him.
Liu Chan had just finished staying up all night and was still a little groggy. She nodded and said, "Okay, let me get some sleep first, and we'll discuss it later."
He waved his hand, leaving Su Jun alone in the living room, leaning against the sofa in thought.
After a while, Su Jun turned off the light, leaving the room filled with dim starlight.
Over the next two weeks, all departments of Qinghe Ancient Town began emergency tests and rehearsals before the opening, as well as various adjustments to details. From Lu Xiaoqi to the customer service staff, everyone was on edge, waiting for New Year's Day to arrive.
Soon, the new year arrived amidst everyone's anticipation.
On New Year's Day, Tian Fan got up early and went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.
This "Anping Hotel" is the closest hotel to Qinghe Ancient Town in Anping County. It seems to have been renovated this year, so it looks quite nice. Although it's not quite up to par with big chain hotels, it offers good value for money, hence its good business.
Tian Fan glanced at the guests sitting in the restaurant having breakfast and figured that most of them were probably there to visit Qinghe Ancient Town.
Sure enough, after finishing their meal, everyone walked out of the hotel in the same direction.
Walk two or three hundred meters and you'll reach the entrance of the ancient town.
Tian Fan was somewhat excited. Qinghe Ancient Town, here I come!
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