As a Magnate, I Started Checking in at a Convenience Store - Chapter 400
Chapter 400: Huge Harvest
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Zhou Chao quickly arrived at the place Si Cong had arranged for him. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Si Cong and others sitting on chairs by the roadside, chatting away.
“Young Master Zhou!”
“Young Master Zhou!”
As Zhou Chao walked over, Si Cong, Shen Wenxuan, Qin Lang, and others stood up and greeted him.
“Why is it just you guys? Where are Qin Fen and Big Bro?” Zhou Chao looked around but couldn’t spot Qin Fen and Li Yang.
“They are on their way; they should be here soon,” Si Cong explained hastily.
“Oh,” Zhou Chao nodded and sat down.
Soon, two luxury sports cars parked by the roadside. Li Yang and Qin Fen got out of the cars. Qin Fen was wearing a flashy pair of fluorescent shoes, making them the center of attention.
“Big Bro, why are you so late? Weren’t you guys together this afternoon?”
“My wife has been in a bad mood lately, so I had to wait until she fell asleep,” Li Yang replied with a hint of helplessness. Suspecting women was not something to be taken lightly.
“Zhou Chao, spill the beans. How much did you make this time? It must be a substantial amount!” Si Cong curiously inquired, and the others turned their attention to Zhou Chao.
“Not much, just a hundred or two billion,” Zhou Chao said casually.
“In US dollars?” Si Cong licked his dry lips and asked.
“Of course, what else? You guys deal in American dollars too. Can I use Chinese currency?” Zhou Chao teased Si Cong.
Si Cong lightly patted his own cheek, saying, “What a silly question I asked. It’s like serving an opportunity for you to tease me!”
Their banter made Li Yang and the others burst into laughter.
“One or two hundred billion! That’s nearly over a trillion in equivalent!” Shen Wenxuan couldn’t help but exclaim.
Over a trillion! None of the people present added up to even a fraction of Zhou Chao’s earnings.
“Second Brother, how about you take over as the big brother from now on? I feel a bit uncomfortable being the big brother!” Li Yang patted his chest and pretended to be pitiful.
“Come on, Big Bro, don’t tease me. Why isn’t the barbecue here yet? Si Cong, haven’t you ordered anything?” Zhou Chao didn’t want to dwell on this topic and quickly changed it.
“I’ve placed the order, but it might take a while. They’re not done grilling yet,” Si Cong replied as he got up and walked towards the restaurant. Soon, he returned with two plates of grilled skewers.
“We won’t drink alcohol tonight; everyone’s driving. We can just have some soft drinks or something,” Zhou Chao decided, and everyone nodded in agreement.
“Young Master Zhou, is there any follow-up plan for this event you organized? Can we join in if there’s an opportunity?” Qin Fen asked, looking at Zhou Chao.
“There is a follow-up plan. It’s just that I’m not sure if you guys would be interested. You will definitely profit but it won’t earn a big sum.”
“Oh, I’m curious now. What’s your plan, Young Master Zhou?” Si Cong and the others showed interest and put down their skewers.
“A while back, DA plagiarized our traditional Chinese clothing, claiming it as their original creation.”
“I’ve heard about it,” Si Cong nodded. He was active on various social media platforms, after all.
“I’m planning to collaborate with the second-largest luxury brand in the world, the Lei Du Group, to create our own traditional clothing line. We want to take it global and introduce more people to these traditional garments.”
“So, you organized this traditional Chinese clothing exhibition to draw the attention of the Chinese people and promote the development of traditional clothing,” Li Yang said, sounding somewhat surprised. After all, not many in China were willing to delve into this field. Most people were focused on profit, and they didn’t care about traditional clothing.
“Yes, as our country becomes increasingly prosperous, traditional clothing is slowly gaining acceptance, especially among the younger generation. Their love for traditional clothing surpasses ours and the previous generation’s. Since we have the ability to promote it, why not contribute? Money is not an issue for me personally. I want people from other countries to recognize and even fall in love with our traditional clothing.”
Zhou Chao didn’t see himself as noble; he was merely doing something that came easy to him. Many others could achieve the same if they had the capital. It was all about profits, and without profits, no one would pay attention.
Si Cong and the others fell silent upon hearing this. These matters were relatively easy for everyone present, but they had never thought about this issue in such depth.
“Count me in. 1 plan to use the earnings from this event for the company you mentioned,” Li Yang said first. Regardless of whether it was for profit or for Zhou Chao’s sake, he stood by Zhou Chao’s side as his brother.
“Count me in!”
“Include me too!”
Qin Fen, Si Cong, Shen Wenxuan, and the others all spoke up. Whether it was for Zhou Chao himself or for other potential benefits, at this moment, they all wanted to be part of this significant endeavor.
“Well, since you all want to take part, we’ll find a time to discuss it thoroughly.”
“Second Brother, have you discussed the cooperation with Lei Du Group? After all, they’re familiar with the second-largest luxury brand company!” Li Yang asked curiously.
“Don’t worry, it’s already settled. After all, 1 am the second-largest shareholder of Lei Du Group!” Zhou Chao replied with a smile.
“The second-largest shareholder!” Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes, the second-largest shareholder with a 35% stake!” Zhou Chao revealed.
Li Yang and the others were left speechless. Si Cong even took out his phone to check Lei Du Group’s market value.
“It’s nearly 6 trillion yuan, which means about 2 trillion yuan for your stake!” Si Cong couldn’t believe his eyes.
“How much? 2 trillion yuan!” Qin Fen, Shen Wenxuan, and the others were equally astonished.
Looking at Zhou Chao, who remained calm and continued to eat skewers, they all felt a mix of emotions.
“Why are you all staring at me like that? Keep eating; if it gets cold, it won’t taste good!”
“Well, whether it tastes good or not doesn’t matter anymore. 1 know my heart has already turned cold. I can’t believe 1 called you out for barbecue,” Si Cong lightly patted his mouth and said with a bitter smile.
“Tonight, it’s on me. Order whatever you like to eat!”
“Are we short of money?” Li Yang joked.
“That’s right!” Qin Fen and the others echoed.
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Li Yang shouted loudly, “Boss, give me an extra 50 skewers of the most expensive ones!”
Li Yang’s action left Si Cong and the others dumbfounded. When they turned to look at Li Yang, he said, “Why are you all staring at me like that? Haven’t you heard what Second Brother said? He’s treating us, so why be polite? If we can’t finish it, can 1 take the food home?”
“Of course, you can!” They all responded in unison.
Afterward, they began loudly ordering the specific high-priced skewers they desired. The restaurant owner became quite busy, and even people passing by couldn’t resist sneaking glances at their enthusiastic dining scene.
They continued to eat until around 2 AM. Li Yang and the others were full and couldn’t eat any more. They looked at the dozens of skewers left on the table and collectively turned their heads away, pretending not to see them.
Zhou Chao chuckled as he watched them and continued to eat. Fortunately, there weren’t many left—just around 20 skewers. In no time, Zhou Chao finished them.
“Is everyone done eating?” Zhou Chao clapped his hands and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“I don’t want to see barbecue for a while. I’m too full.” Si Cong sighed, leaning back in his chair.
“Me too. 1 can’t stand the sight of it now.”
Zhou Chao shook his head in amusement upon hearing their complaints.
Weren’t they the ones acting like heroes a moment ago, eating to their hearts’ content and now pretending not to know each other?
“It’s getting late. Everyone should head back and rest.”
“Yes,”
Zhou Chao got up, went to the cashier, and paid nearly 4,000 yuan.
“Let’s go!” He waved at the others, and they all got into their respective cars.
The whole street was filled with the roar of sports cars, gradually fading into the night.
By the time Zhou Chao returned home, it was already 3 AM. He found a spare guest room, freshened up quickly, and went to sleep.
When he woke up again, the sun was shining brightly outside. He checked his phone and saw it was already past 1 PM. He had several messages and a missed call.
Rubbing his temples to wake himself up, he opened WeChat and saw mo messages from Jiang Li, reminding him to have breakfast. The other messages and the missed call were from the early morning.
He dialed the missed call immediately.
“Hello, Ling Chen, is there something you need?”
Listening to his boss’s slightly tired voice, he knew Zhou Chao had just woken up, possibly after a late night.
“Boss, the Ancient Chinese Clothing and Hanfu Exhibition is ending today. Do you have any further suggestions for the cooperation project with Lei Du Group?”
“Oh, you reminded me. Create a separate company for this project, and let Si Cong and the others join in. They’ll invest around 3 billion yuan. Also, find out how many studios participated in the Ancient Chinese Clothing and Hanfu Exhibition this time and talk to them.”
Zhou Chao initially wanted to consolidate the domestic Hanfu market, not only by selecting quality studios but also by bringing them all under his umbrella to form a powerful company.
“Boss, out of the 30 or so studios that participated, we eliminated some weaker ones through our selection process. In the end, we have 22 studios remaining, and there are also a few outstanding independent designers who signed with us.”
“Good. What about the group including Gu Yan’s team?”
“They performed exceptionally well in this event. They showcased a set of exquisitely handmade Hanfu and became the highlight of the event.”
“I see. You go ahead and establish the company’s structure. Leave the professional matters to the professionals. Let Gu Yan and her team take care of the company for now. When Si Cong and the others have their funds ready, we can make further plans.”
“Understood, boss. Are you coming to the meeting with Lei Du Group this afternoon?”
Zhou Chao pondered for a moment and then said, “You handle it. I hope to see your collaboration announcement online by tonight.”
“Don’t worry, boss!”
