0133: Slackers Have It Best

Could this really be a scammer? That doesn't seem right; scammers don't usually lay out traps so bluntly. Typically, they would pretend to be a legitimate company, then ask for some kind of security deposit or promise you the moon. They would offer a small benefit to lure you in, then slowly hook you into losing more money.

However, the person on the other end immediately added, "Don't be surprised, I’m not a scammer."

"It’s like this: my hometown is in Linshui. I took this position from the headquarters last year and have since moved to Qizhou to oversee operations here in Dongshan. But as you know, franchising is a long-term game; you have to offer many incentives in the beginning. Otherwise, it’s hard to break into the market. Only once the market is opened up can we start making money from franchise fees and expand the brand's influence."

"Most of the prefecture-level cities already have our stores, but Changqing City, which was one of our earliest franchise regions, has had some issues over the past two months. The franchisee there invested in other projects and fell into a debt crisis. He isn't bankrupt, and he's still paying off his debts, but the regional agency work has been put on hold. We already have a contract, and while the other party hasn't said they won't open the store, dragging it out isn't a solution. That’s why we’ve decided to start with the smaller towns near Changqing."

"Oh, I see what you mean."

After that string of explanations, Xu Lin roughly understood: the person had paid the franchise fee but, due to personal circumstances, hadn't opened the store—effectively occupying the latrine without doing any business. So, this regional manager was trying to meet his headquarters' targets by setting up stores in the surrounding smaller towns? That wasn't exactly "free," at most it was just waiving the franchise fee. Even though rent in Linshui wasn't high, the startup costs for renovation and rent would still amount to 30,000 to 50,000. Waving a franchise fee of less than 10,000 was just the icing on the cake.

But just as he was thinking this, the other party dropped a massive surprise.

"So, since you’re interested, Mr. Xu, I’ve decided to open one in my hometown as well, which is why I called you. I’ll waive your franchise fee. As it happens, I have a commercial space in Linshui that I bought last year. I’ve been too busy to rent it out, so you can use it for free. Consider it a bit of support."

"Are you joking with me?"

"Haha, no, no. If an average person received this call out of the blue, they might not believe it either. I’m heading back to Linshui this Saturday—my elderly parents are there—so we can meet up then."

"Alright."

Meeting in person was fine for Xu Lin, as he had already seen the manager's photo on the website; the authenticity was clear at a glance. It seemed real, but the fact that the guy really wanted to set him up with a free store felt like the legendary "pie falling from the sky," which made him doubt it for a moment. But if it were true, for a provincial manager, 30,000 or 40,000 a year in rent was nothing compared to the first step in expanding into a small city and boosting his own performance metrics.

"Well, I won't take up any more of your time. I’ll use this number to contact you when I get there."

"Great, great. Thank you for bringing me such a surprise."

"No, no, this is me boosting my own performance while opening a shop in my hometown. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. That’s all, goodbye."

"Goodbye, Mr. Cui."

After finishing the call, Xu Lin left the restroom and found the two people on the sofa were gone. Xu Lin finished the croquette he had been holding and called out, "Where is everyone?"

Seeing no response, he opened the door and looked across the hall. Sure enough, he saw Ji Yun, Chu Fengyi, her parents, and that Auntie Yao. The atmosphere seemed decent; although Ji's father had a long face, Auntie Yao and Ji's mother appeared calm. It seemed the conversation between the three of them had been productive—one look at Ji Yun’s smile was enough to tell.

The group noticed him, and Xu Lin nodded. "Good afternoon, Aunt and Uncle." He wouldn't call them "Uncle Ji," "Auntie Ji," or "Auntie Yao"; it was awkward to prioritize one over the other, so a simple greeting sufficed.

"Xu Lin, have you eaten? If not, I have some food here."

"I've eaten, thank you, Uncle."

"Right, Ji Yun, don't let this delay your school. We’ll just go to the hospital."

"I’m just going for a routine checkup, it’s fine. Go to school, don't be late," Auntie Yao said with a smile, patting Ji Yun’s arm.

After they hurried downstairs, Xu Lin turned to Ji Yun. "So, is everything okay for now?"

"Yeah, my mom volunteered to go along, probably to see if Auntie Yao was being truthful. That’s just how she is, but at least she’s keeping her temper in check, which is a good thing."

"Well, why must women make things difficult for women?" Xu Lin remarked.

"But when women are faced with matters of the heart, they love making things difficult for other women," Chu Fengyi replied with a pointed tone.

"That's when it's time for the man to step up."

"I hope you have what it takes."

"What were you doing in the bathroom just now? Don't tell me..."

"Chu Fengyi, what are you thinking! I got a call from someone saying they’d give me a store for free."

"A scammer, surely. You’re not actually believing this, are you?" Chu Fengyi looked at him with disdain. "Xu Lin, my dad once got scammed because he was greedy for a small gain. He entered some raffle and ended up spending hundreds of dollars to come home with a pile of useless glasses." Her mother had been so angry she gave them all away, leaving her father depressed for over half a month.

"Come inside, I'll explain."

Xu Lin recounted the phone conversation, while Chu Fengyi just pursed her lips. "With this small-time stuff, if you want to do something, why don't I just invest?"

"No, I can't rely on you. I said it that day: I want to earn recognition on my own."

"Then I don't see much hope for your spicy hot pot."

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. This is just the beginning; I’ll take it slow. By the way, Ji Yun, have your parents ever thought about running a shop and being their own bosses?"

"My dad has talked about not being a driver anymore. I actually want him to retire and rest. He's been driving for so many years, and his spine is getting worse. Many times, he’s in so much pain he can’t even sit still." As Ji Yun spoke, her eyes reddened. She remembered when she got first place in her freshman year of high school—despite his back pain, he had lifted her up high just like he used to when she was in elementary school. Even though he could be childish sometimes, she could feel her father's gentleness.

"I’ll think about it then, see if there’s something your uncle could handle."

"Small business isn't easy, but it would be a good chance to gain experience."

Seeing Xu Lin so confident, Chu Fengyi didn't say anything else. After all, she had learned step-by-step herself and had made small mistakes in the beginning. Once he was trained, he could come and take over the company operations, and she could spend her days at home watching anime and movies without having to worry about these things.

Xu Lin didn't know that he, who had originally just wanted to slack off, was now being "calculated" by someone else’s desire to slack off while he worked hard for the girls.

"Xu Lin, are you going to class this afternoon?"

"Of course I have to. I'm no genius; if I don't go to class, my grades will definitely suffer."

"Oh, wait, Xu Lin. It's time! We need to hurry, we're going to be late!" Ji Yun checked her watch and realized there were only 15 minutes left before class! "I haven't changed into my school uniform, I need to run home!"

"Alright, let's meet downstairs!"

"I'll drive you."

"Thank you, Sister Fengyi."

"Thank you, wifey."

"Get lost!"

Watching the two of them suddenly rush off, Chu Fengyi sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, started eating a croquette, and looked at her phone. "Slacking off is still the best. Good thing I graduated from university at 19. School isn't that hard, anyway—it just means slacking off a little less."