Chapter 107: The Boss Lady Likes You
TL: Etude
After leaving the girls’ dormitory, the black Audi didn’t go far. It stopped at the square in front of the teaching building. After all, both occupants had a full schedule of classes in the afternoon, so going out for a drive wasn’t really feasible at the moment.
However, seeing that there was still some time before classes began, Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu to the Xi Tian Milk Tea Shop.
“Do you want to go for some milk tea?” Feng Nanshu asked.
After hearing this, Jiang Qin shook his head. “We’re not here for milk tea. You’re the owner of Xi Tian, and although it’s a bit intimidating, you can’t always be absent.”
“I don’t even have my owner’s certificate,” Feng Nanshu remembered the issue about the certificate.
Jiang Qin couldn’t help but glance at her. “You’re always absent. Fang Xiaoxuan probably has forgotten about you being the boss. And you still want a certificate?”
“Then I’ll come here often from now on.”
As they were talking, they arrived at the entrance of the Xi Tian Milk Tea Shop.
The campus beauty contest was over, and the marketing heat had begun to wane, but the commercial atmosphere in the front square had indeed been stirred up, retaining many customers. The foot traffic was vastly different from before.
Fang Xiaoxuan’s excellent performance during the marketing phase had also proven her business capabilities, so Jiang Qin planned to promote her to manager and give her a raise.
But it was best to do this in the name of the little rich lady, as she was the nominal owner of the milk tea shop.
Upon entering, Jiang Qin saw three people.
One was Fang Xiaoxuan, and the other two were her recruits, Hu Xin and Chen Yong.
Hu Xin was originally a waitress in a restaurant on South Street, and Chen Yong was a university student on campus. Both were handpicked by Fang Xiaoxuan.
Xi Tian’s business was getting better, and the hot marketing phase had passed. It wasn’t fair to keep relying solely on Fang Xiaoxuan.
Moreover, if Xi Tian really wanted to open branches in other schools, Jiang Qin needed a few capable milk tea shop managers to run them.
Fang Xiaoxuan, having grown with Xi Tian from the start, was the obvious choice.
She was hardworking, sincere in her attitude, and efficient in her work. Jiang Qin saw all her strengths and intended to teach her how to manage a milk tea shop in preparation for the later franchise model.
She wasn’t a student of Linchuan University, so her time was more flexible. Being assigned to the Science and Technology University wouldn’t interfere with her studies, making her a suitable candidate.
However, Fang Xiaoxuan, good at making milk tea, lacked experience as a manager. So, Jiang Qin wanted to take advantage of the time before the branch plan started to train her more.
And learning how to recruit the right staff was something she needed to master quickly.
“Boss, boss lady, good afternoon,” Fang Xiaoxuan greeted Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu with a smile sweet as honey.
“How’s business lately?” Jiang Qin glanced around the shop casually.
Fang Xiaoxuan nodded, “It’s okay. It’s not as crazy as during the campus beauty contest, but it’s not far off.”
“How about these two part-timers? Are they doing well?”
“Hu Xin is doing fine, she’s quick to learn. Chen Yong didn’t have much experience before, so he’s still learning. But making milk tea isn’t a difficult job. He should adapt quickly.”
Jiang Qin nodded, not too picky about professional experience. “By the way, Xiaoxuan, we have an announcement to make today.”
“What is it, Boss?”
“Your boss lady thinks you’ve been working hard and responsibly lately, so she wants to promote you to manager of Xi Tian, with a twenty percent increase in salary.”
Feng Nanshu learned quickly, repeating what Jiang Qin taught: “Xiaoxuan, you must continue to work hard.”
“Thank you, Boss. Thank you, boss lady. I will definitely continue to work hard!” Joy was clearly visible on Fang Xiaoxuan’s face.
Her salary had already been raised once, and now it was raised again with a promotion. Her excitement was evident.
Taking advantage of her excitement, Jiang Qin also briefly discussed the next step of the plan with her.
“Xi Tian is about to open a branch at the Science and Technology University soon, and we need a qualified manager to lead the way. My idea is to recruit a new one, but your boss lady really likes you and suggests you go for some training.”
Feng Nanshu glanced at him, her eyelashes quivering slightly: “Jiang Qin is right.”
“I’m willing to go,” Fang Xiaoxuan agreed without hesitation.
“Don’t you want to think it over?”
“I don’t need to think it over. Wherever you ask me to go, I’ll go.”
Fang Xiaoxuan, who hadn’t attended much school, had always been hustling around for piecemeal jobs. She couldn’t find the best ones, the worst ones paid too little, and stability was the most important thing for her at the moment.
Xi Tian’s business had been so poor that it was on the brink of closing, and the previous owner was constantly sighing and talking about shutting down.
Fang Xiaoxuan had been prepared to be fired, never expecting that after a change in ownership, the business would revive and even start opening branches. Who would back out at such a time?
She didn’t quite understand what the boss and boss lady wanted to do, but she had the brains.
In just one month, they had made Xi Tian’s business boom to this extent, something not just anyone could achieve.
Fang Xiaoxuan had always hoped for a job with promotional opportunities, but her low education level meant her hard work wasn’t valued by others.
But now, being able to manage a branch, and possibly more in the future, was an opportunity not to be missed. If there’s an opportunity, take it; if not, create one.
Workers at the bottom might not have much education, but they understand very well what the word ‘future’ means.
Jiang Qin nodded: “Alright, since you’re willing, you’ll be our choice for the external assignment.”
“Boss, when exactly will I go to the branch?” Fang Xiaoxuan couldn’t help but ask.
Jiang Qin thought for a moment: “Next month, I suppose, but I can’t give you an exact date yet, as the location isn’t finalized. Just focus on your work here for now and try to train Hu Xin and Chen Yong as quickly as possible.”
Fang Xiaoxuan nodded: “Okay, Boss.”
“Keep it up,” Feng Nanshu said softly.
“Thank you, boss lady. You’re so kind.”
(boss lady can mean boss’s wife, since a lot of small businesses are family owned)
“So are you.” The little rich lady’s gaze twinkled.
At that moment, Fang Xiaoxuan felt that what the boss said was not just a courtesy. Her aloof boss lady might really like her a lot.
After leaving Xi Tian, Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu to the teaching building.
The afternoon class was a joint session between Class 3 and Class 4, and it was the first time Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu attended a class together. They found the public classroom according to the timetable. Upon entering, the previously noisy laughter instantly quieted down.
Truth be told, the male students of the Finance Department were envious of Jiang Qin.
The girl who dazzled everyone at the start of the school year was always seen with Jiang Qin, as if he were the only man in the world. Others couldn’t even add her on QQ, which was infuriating.
But what could they do?
Everyone knew Feng Nanshu had two sides: one as cold as moonlight and distant to everyone. The other, lively, cute, and clingy, belonged only to Jiang Qin.
“Did you go on a date again?” Gao Wenhui asked with a face full of curiosity.
Jiang Qin spit back: “Why don’t you find someone to date? I find you’re quite focused on romance.”
“It’s no fun dating myself. It’s more interesting to watch others.”
“Right, that’s a solid point. Dating yourself is the least interesting. Better to watch a TV drama. At least you can skip to the last episode to see if it’s a happy or sad ending. That way, you can decide whether to follow it or not, rather than being upset over a bad ending and suffering yourself.”
Feng Nanshu sat quietly by the side, flipping through the first page of her textbook, showing little interest in the topic.
Jiang Qin had already sat up straight, ready for class.
It was okay to not understand advanced mathematics, but failing other subjects wasn’t as simple as retaking them. If he got expelled, Mrs. Yuan would break his legs.
Just then, Jiang Qin caught sight of someone.
Ren Ziqiang, sitting with Pan Xiu, both chatting and laughing animatedly.
Jiang Qin couldn’t help but feel surprised, wondering if a ‘licking dog’ really could have its day.
“Old Zhou, Old Zhou, why are Ren Ziqiang and Pan Xiu sitting together?”
Zhou Chao ran over excitedly: “Don’t you know? Ren Ziqiang confessed to Pan Xiu at noon today!”
“Did the lovers finally get together?” Jiang Qin was shocked.
Who would have thought Zhou Chao shook his head: “Pan Xiu said she wanted to be Ren Ziqiang’s sister.”
“Damn, so he’s ‘friendzoned’? That’s the end of it, right?” Jiang Qin’s eyes widened.
“Indeed, it’s the end. But Ren Ziqiang is happy. He says lovers often start as siblings, which gives him more chances than just being classmates.”
“…”
Jiang Qin smacked his lips, his eyes betraying a subtle but profound resistance.
Damn it, it’s because of examples like this that love is the most overrated thing in the world.