Chapter 187 - 171: The Sky Has Changed

Chapter 187: Chapter 171: The Sky Has Changed

Only fifteen minutes after the update went live, there were already over a hundred comments. Xu An quickly posted another message announcing that the event was over. Then, he compiled the usernames and QQ numbers of the first sixty-six people into a document and made a new post.

’All spots for the event have been filled, and registration is now closed! Below are the sixty-six people who have qualified. On Saturday at 9 PM, Xu’s Fast Food Restaurant will have a sumptuous spread of our braised dishes and ice-cold drinks ready to welcome everyone. See you all there!’

As soon as this update was posted, the comments were flooded with emojis of characters getting blown to smithereens. As time went on, the number of comments under this post grew and grew, eventually making it the most-commented-on post since Xu’s Fast Food Restaurant opened—bar none.

’Boss, that’s not cool! For an event like this, shouldn’t you build some hype for a few days beforehand so we can all get ready to grab a spot? Going from announcement to closing in a mere fifteen minutes is just outrageous! Who’s the planner at your restaurant? Fire him and let me take his job!’

’Hmm... telling me to fire myself. This kid’s got guts.’

Xu An thought for a moment and replied, ’Already fired him. Your desk is all set up. We’re just waiting for you.’

However, the comment did give Xu An an idea. Once the commercial was filmed and the airtime was set, he could start building hype on his social media a few days in advance. ’I’ve only been thinking about using outside help for promotion,’ he thought, ’and I completely forgot that all these regular customers in my QQ contacts are a huge asset, too!’

The rest of the comments were pretty much the same, all complaining that the sign-up window for the event was too short. Xu An even saw one person lamenting that they had been working too diligently and forgot to slack off, which made them miss the event...

The customers of Xu’s Fast Food Restaurant were all experts at gaming the system. Money earned by working hard was just what you were owed; only money earned while slacking off felt like a true profit!

After interacting with everyone in the comments for a bit, he looked up at the wall clock in the restaurant. It was already 2:25 PM, almost closing time for Xu’s Fast Food Restaurant. ’At this hour, Hai City Bank should have started its afternoon service,’ he thought.

He gathered all the documents Zhou Yaodong required, packed them into his bag, and after a final check to ensure nothing was missing, Xu An set off on his bicycle. The outdoor temperature and the blistering sun were far more intense after 2 PM than they had been at 10 AM. Not even two minutes after he left, Xu An was so drenched in sweat he looked like he’d just been pulled out of a river.

’Maybe I should buy a cheap car to get around in after I get my license? I have to go out on business errands so often these days, and it’s always by bus, taxi, or bicycle. It sounds so lame.’

But after a quick mental calculation of his upcoming expenses, Xu An quickly dismissed the thought. The village collective’s "Tidal Flat Aquaculture" project had a shortfall of at least 300,000 yuan. The new braised food shop had already cost him over 20,000. He also needed to set aside some money for the greenhouses. Then there was Zijing Road and Qianjin Street—if a suitable shop or residence went up for sale, he’d want to buy it. And if the braised food shop did well, he was planning to set up distribution points near Ivy League University and Xiuli Garden...

’When I add it all up, even if I get my hands on the full 1.2 million loan Zhou Yaodong mentioned, it still won’t be enough! Forget it. I’ll just have to wait. A little longer!’

Suddenly, the sound of rushing wind came from behind him. WHOOSH. He glanced to the side and saw a spirited old man, hands gripping the handlebars of an electric tricycle, twisting the throttle to the max. The wind howled, and the fine strands of hair he used to cover his bald spot danced freely in the breeze, making him look incredibly suave.

Watching the little tricycle disappear into the distance, it belatedly dawned on Xu An. ’Why am I torturing myself on this bicycle? There are two electric tricycles parked at the restaurant! They even have canopies installed over the front, so you’re protected from the rain and the sun!’

「Hai City Bank.」

Ever since visiting Xu An, Zhou Yaodong had been eighty percent certain that Xu An would come to Hai City Bank for a loan, but he hadn’t expected it to be this soon. From the moment he received Xu An’s call asking what documents were needed, Zhou Yaodong had been on pins and needles. He kept running to the bank entrance to watch the pedestrians, terrified that if he let his guard down for a second, another colleague would poach this deal—a single deal worth three to four months of his performance quota.

But everything went according to plan. On his sixth trip to the main entrance to scan the street, he saw Xu An, face flushed red and sweat pouring down like rain, pedaling furiously on his bicycle. Looking at Xu An’s miserable state, Zhou Yaodong couldn’t help but marvel internally. ℯℯ𝘭.

’As expected of a big boss! Green-friendly travel, good for the environment, and he gets some exercise at the same time. He’s a true role model!’

His brief moment of admiration over, Zhou Yaodong hurried forward to greet him. After welcoming Xu An inside, he led him directly into a VIP room. He took several chilled drinks from the room’s mini-fridge and placed them one by one in front of Xu An, letting him take his pick.

Hot and thirsty, Xu An didn’t stand on ceremony. After a quick word of thanks, he grabbed an ice-cold bottle of mineral water and GULP, GULP, GULP, downed half of it. He then picked up a sugary soda and finished it in one go, finally dispelling the oppressive heat from his body.

The rest of the process was straightforward: an endless cycle of reviewing documents, signing, stamping, watching Zhou Yaodong organize files, then more signing and stamping. After signing his name fifty or sixty times in a row, Xu An started to feel numb. It felt like he was back in elementary school, being forced by his teacher to write his name fifty times as punishment for poor handwriting.