mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 85 The Idea of Opening an Internet Cafe
Chapter 85 The Idea of Opening an Internet Cafe
The car drove into Jiangnan University and soon stopped in front of dormitory building 13.
Chen Zhiyuan got out of the car and, out of politeness, invited, "Sister Zhou, would you like to come up and sit for a while? You've really gone to a lot of trouble running around today."
Unexpectedly, Zhou Shutang readily agreed: "Sure, I'm a little thirsty, I'll go upstairs and ask for a glass of water."
The two went upstairs together and arrived at the door of dormitory 217.
Chen Zhiyuan found the door locked, and his three roommates were indeed not there, probably enjoying their long holiday.
Upon entering the house, Chen Zhiyuan took out a disposable paper cup from the cabinet and brewed a cup of hot tea for Zhou Shutang with boiling water from the thermos.
"Sister Zhou, please have a seat and some tea."
He handed over the teacup and said, "Although it's autumn, the temperature is still over 30 degrees Celsius. I feel a bit sticky after going out, so I'd like to take a shower first."
Upon hearing this, two very faint blushes instantly appeared on Zhou Shutang's fair cheeks, and her hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly.
Her mind involuntarily flashed back to the last time she escorted Chen Zhiyuan back to his dorm, and the perfect physique she caught a glimpse of when he took off his coat—his well-defined abs and smooth V-line… Her heart skipped a beat for no reason.
A subtle tension welled up inside her, along with a touch of shy anticipation: He... he wouldn't do what he did last time, would he?
However, Chen Zhiyuan was not drinking this time; he was perfectly sober and handled the situation with great care.
He was just saying it casually to express his upcoming arrangements; he didn't mean anything else.
For some reason, after confirming this, Zhou Shutang felt a slight disappointment, which she herself did not even notice, as the tension in her heart subsided.
She took a small sip of tea, suppressing her inappropriate reverie.
The two chatted for a few more minutes about their recent situations and writing progress.
About fifteen minutes later, Zhou Shutang put down his teacup, stood up and said, "Zhiyuan, you go ahead and do your work. Focus on writing your book, I won't bother you any longer."
Chen Zhiyuan also got up to see her off: "Sister Zhou, take care on your journey. Drive carefully on the road. I won't see you off any further. I need to take a quick shower, otherwise I'll feel unwell."
"No need to see me off, you go ahead." Zhou Shutang walked to the door, paused almost imperceptibly, but finally opened the door and went out.
How could someone as shy as her possibly stay?
Chen Zhiyuan escorted her to the dormitory door, watching her elegant figure disappear around the corner of the stairs before closing the door and returning inside.
He quickly took off his coat, and soon the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
The seven-day National Day holiday is a rare opportunity for relaxation for ordinary students, but for professional athletes it is often a valuable window for extra training.
But Chen Zhiyuan lived a carefree and relaxed life.
If you're in a strictly disciplined national team, having two or three days of rest is a luxury, as you're always burdened with heavy training tasks every day.
This contrast makes him cherish even more the freedom to control his own time.
Tian Mingguang's efficiency was astonishing. In just two or three days, the first draft of the interior design for the 388-square-meter apartment was delivered to Chen Zhiyuan.
The drawings were detailed, the layout was reasonable, and the style matched his simple and grand vision. After reviewing them, Chen Zhiyuan was quite satisfied, as they basically met his expectations.
He only suggested a few minor modifications, and the other party responded almost instantly, quickly making improvements.
Yesterday, the construction team arrived on site and began the first step of the water and electricity renovation.
Chen Zhiyuan knew perfectly well that behind this efficiency, General Manager Tian was working so hard almost entirely because of Zhou Shutang's influence.
This made him feel even more certain about Sister Zhou's "extraordinary" family background.
The long holiday is over, and the campus has returned to normal.
The freshmen of Computer Science Class 991 have begun their official university life.
However, those professional courses that might be difficult for others are like flipping through a storybook that Chen Zhiyuan already knows well.
He understood everything the teacher said immediately, and he could grasp the content of the textbook at a glance. His effortless and easy learning style even made him occasionally marvel at how "heaven-defying" his newfound learning talent was.
There were only two classes that afternoon, and it was still early when they ended.
On a whim, Chen Zhiyuan drove to Mirror Lake Impression again.
The construction site was bustling with activity. The water and electricity pipelines were laid out in straight lines, and the workers were meticulous in their work, showing that they were doing it with their hearts.
He nodded in satisfaction, his evaluation of Tian Guangming, or rather Zhou Shutang's abilities, rising even higher.
As Chen Zhiyuan drove out of the residential area, not far from the imposing gate of Jiangnan University, about two or three hundred meters away, his gaze was drawn to a scene by the roadside.
This is an absolutely prime location, bustling with people and lined with shops; it's truly a place where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold.
However, amidst this bustling scene, a storefront on the second floor facing the street was having furniture moved out, with a sign on the storefront reading "Relocation and Clearance".
Is the business failing and you have to close down?
Chen Zhiyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately pulled over and parked the car.
He took a few steps closer to observe. It was a fairly large furniture store, located on the second floor, which was perhaps its fatal flaw in limiting customer traffic.
Looking at the endless stream of people in front of him, and then at the majestic school gate not far away, an idea burst forth in his mind like a spark.
Without hesitation, he turned around and went up the stairs to the second floor.
"Sorry, we've moved. If you'd like to buy furniture..."
A middle-aged man in his forties with a worried look on his face saw someone coming up and habitually started to speak, but after seeing Chen Zhiyuan's overly young and even student-like face, the second half of his sentence got stuck in his throat.
Chen Zhiyuan smiled warmly and took the initiative to speak: "Boss, what's your name?"
Although he didn't understand, the boss nodded and said, "No need for formalities, my surname is Liu."
"Hello, Mr. Liu."
Chen Zhiyuan acted warmly and generously, completely unlike the naiveté of an ordinary student. "So... you're changing your business location?"
Boss Liu sighed, as if he had found someone to confide in: "Yeah, let's go somewhere else."
Although this is on the second floor, it has a larger area and the rent is cheaper than on the first floor, but many customers find it troublesome to come up here, so business has always been lukewarm.
The new storefront is on the first floor, a bit small, but it's on the street, so the foot traffic should be much better..." He went on and on about all the inconveniences of the second-floor store.
Chen Zhiyuan listened patiently, occasionally chiming in, and quickly figured out the situation: the store was quite large, with an area of 426 square meters, and the monthly rent was 22 yuan per square meter.
In this area, the monthly rent for a ground-floor storefront is generally over 40 yuan, so the price for a second-floor storefront is indeed not high.
The interior is quite new; according to Boss Liu, it's been used for less than two years.
The lease was for two years and is now expiring, so he has decided not to renew it.
426 square meters... second floor... next to the university gate...
Chen Zhiyuan's heart began to race.
A clear and enticing blueprint quickly took shape in his mind—an internet cafe!
These days, running an internet cafe is practically a powerful money-printing machine!