As noon approached, the exhibition center grew increasingly crowded. Zhao Jun’s team had hired a batch of part-ti workers from other universities and third-party companies in addition to Zhou Yuwen’s group of students. As foot traffic increased, so did unexpected incidents.
For instance, a thief appeared on the west side of the exhibition hall, clashing with the security personnel there.
The problem was that the thief refused to admit to stealing anything, and in the end, they didn’t catch him.
It turned into a blunder, and the wrongly accused person, with a flushed face, shouted, "What kind of garbage exhibition is this? I’m going to the Consur Association to lodge a complaint!"
Zhao Jun’s company had to apologize and provide compensation to resolve the issue.
Zhao Jun's company, which Zhou Yuwen had partnered with in his previous life, was one of the larger labor companies in Jinling, handling not only labor contracts but also event planning.
Take this exhibition, for example—it was likely first designed by the company's higher-ups who created the proposal before delegating it to Zhao Jun's team for execution. Though it wasn’t a massive exhibition, it would still make at least 300,000 yuan in three days, with Zhao Jun’s company pocketing about 150,000 yuan.
Of course, the big profits went to the planners in their offices, while people like Zhao Jun were downstream executors in the company hierarchy.
Liu Shuo, observing the commotion, casually shared the details with Zhou Yuwen, who advised him to tell his friends on the team, “Even if you run into a real thief, don’t act rashly. You're only getting 100 yuan for the day. Just report it and let Zhao Jun handle it.”
“Understood!”
The two of them sat nearby, sipping tea and chatting. Liu Shuo bragged about how well he was managing the Xu Zhou Association, as if he had established branches and leaders at every school.
Zhou Yuwen wasn’t too interested, but Liu Shuo seed quite excited.
Zhou Yuwen then inquired about the express station business, and Liu Shuo replied that the deal was settled, and they just needed to sign once the funds were in place.
“I’ve already got people lined up. Ever since word got out that the Xu Zhou Association was taking over the express station, people have been coming to , wanting to join.”
“...”
Zhou Yuwen corrected him, saying, “I signed that express station contract myself. It has nothing to do with the Xu Zhou Association, so stop spreading misinformation.”
Liu Shuo smirked, “Hey, Brother Zhou, you must be joking. The entire Xu Zhou Association is basically yours anyway; what difference does it make?”
Just then, Tao Tian, in red high heels, sashayed over to Zhou Yuwen, a cheerful expression on her face.
Sneaking over as if reporting an achievent, she said, “Look! I swiped another two packs of tea for you. I heard this one costs 2,888 yuan!”
Seeing her delighted expression, Zhou Yuwen remarked, “This is inside theft.”
“?” Tao Tian blinked before laughing and winked at Zhou Yuwen playfully. “So, Boss Zhou, how do you plan to punish ?”
She coyly crossed her legs, looking quite mischievous.
Won, regardless of age, can act like little girls when they’re around soone stronger, trying to charm their way through.
Liu Shuo, grinning, said, “Brother Zhou, your girlfriend brought you tea, so just take it.”
Liu Shuo was adept at reading people, calling any girl related to Zhou Yuwen “sister-in-law” like he had in high school.
It was sowhat impolite, given that they were no longer in high school, but it seed Tao Tian wasn’t offended.
In fact, she seed quite pleased to be called "sister-in-law."
However, she didn’t pay Liu Shuo any attention and simply said to Zhou Yuwen, “I’ll go get busy.”
“Go ahead.”
After Tao Tian left, her dedication to yoga and fitness was evident. Her figure was impressive, and the red cheongsam she wore perfectly complented her toned physique. Although only 21, her graceful silhouette was reminiscent of a ripe peach—a real stunner.
Lunch had initially been planned for 12:30, but the crowd was too large, keeping everyone busy.
Zhao Jun clasped his hands in apology, saying to Zhou Yuwen that after talking with the managent, they’d decided to compensate each worker with a 20-yuan al subsidy as a small token of appreciation for the extra effort.
Liu Shuo, however, wasn’t pleased, pouting as he complained that nobody cared about a re 20 yuan after working hard since early morning.
“My apologies, President Zhou. Can we make an adjustnt?” Zhao Jun asked apologetically.
Zhou Yuwen agreed to an adjustnt, saying, “Twenty is a bit low—how about thirty?”
“Thirty?”
Thirty yuan for a al subsidy was generous, even by future standards. After a mont of thought, Zhao Jun nodded, “Alright, I’ll transfer it to you later.”
After they agreed, Zhou Yuwen personally took out 200 yuan and asked Liu Shuo to buy so bottled water and snacks from a nearby store to keep everyone going.
Liu Shuo followed instructions without complaint.
With this arrangent, the day’s 100-yuan part-ti job beca a 130-yuan one. For most students, skipping or delaying a al wasn’t an issue if it ant earning an extra 30 yuan.
“Do you think 30 yuan cos easy? That’s thanks to my brother negotiating for us,” Liu Shuo told the students.
While Liu Shuo distributed the food, Zhou Yuwen wandered the exhibition hall with his work badge, exploring the booths and observing the tea brands on display. There were about thirty in total, and at every turn were girls in red cheongsams working part-ti, either serving tea or holding trays.
At around 1:00 p.m., a group of foreigners arrived, showing keen interest in the tea culture and asking Tao Tian if she could explain the history of a particular tea.
Tao Tian, a third-year student, had taken English courses but wasn’t proficient enough to discuss tea culture in English. She struggled for a while, only managing to say, “tea.”
Sensing her embarrassnt, Zhou Yuwen approached, speaking fluent English, “Excuse , is there anything I can help you with?”
In his previous life, Zhou Yuwen had obtained a level six English certificate, but his proficiency exceeded that, as his work required practical English skills.
There were about seven or eight foreigners, led by a spectacled man who looked quite refined. He said they were simply interested in learning more about the culture surrounding this particular tea.
Zhou Yuwen replied in fluent English, explaining that China’s tea culture had a long history, one that couldn’t be captured in a few sentences, and that neither he nor his colleagues were specialists. He suggested that if they were interested, they could contact the vendor directly to purchase a couple of packages and explore the tea’s culture further.
The foreigners nodded in understanding, thanked Zhou Yuwen, and even shook his hand.
Zhou Yuwen replied, “No problem. Welco to the East.”
After the foreigners left, Tao Tian’s two roommates looked at Zhou Yuwen with admiration.
“You’re amazing, Zhou Yuwen! That was like watching a real business professional!” One of the girls in boots gave him a thumbs-up.
Zhou Yuwen chuckled, “You’re exaggerating. It was just a basic conversation. You could do it too; you just froze up at the mont.”
“No way! That was totally quick thinking. And look at your outfit—I was seriously chard!” the girl in boots replied, clearly impressed.
It wasn’t entirely false; these girls did seem drawn to Zhou Yuwen. Tall and well-dressed in a casual suit, with a work badge hanging around his neck, he looked suave and even spoke fluent English.
Zhou Yuwen advised them that explaining tea culture wasn’t part of their duties and that they could always redirect such questions to the professional guides.
“With your looks, just standing here is more than enough,” Zhou Yuwen said.
The girls laughed, giggling at his complint.
Then, he updated them on lunch arrangents, ntioning it might be a bit delayed.
“Senior Tao, is that okay with you?” Zhou Yuwen asked, looking at Tao Tian, who hadn’t spoken much.
Tao Tian responded, “I’m fine, not very hungry anyway.”
The other girls teased, “Wow, President Zhou, why are you only asking Tao? What about us?”
Zhou Yuwen replied, “I’m in contact with Senior Tao, so of course, I’d relay it to her first to pass along.”
The girl in the pencil skirt continued teasing, “Oh, so you’re saying Tao is more important to you?”
Zhou Yuwen simply gave her a look, leaving her to interpret it however she liked.
The girls laughed even harder.
“I’ll also grab you guys so milk tea to hold you over,” Zhou Yuwen said.
“Sounds great!”
After chatting with the girls, Zhou Yuwen left the booth.
As he walked away, the girls imdiately began whispering about him.
“Is he really a freshman?”
“He sure doesn’t act like one!”
“When those foreigners ca over, I froze, but he was totally relaxed.”
“I didn’t understand a word he said in English, haha.”
“ neither...”
No, there’s more to the chapter. Here’s the continuation:
---
One of the girls in boots, eyes sparkling, nudged Tao Tian. “Tao, I’m seriously into him. If you’re not going for it, I totally will!”
Girls like these were naturally captivated by a freshman as impressive as Zhou Yuwen. Just imagining how amazing he’d beco as he grew older only made him more attractive.
Tao Tian laughed, “If you want to go for it, go ahead. He has a girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend? Please, that’s nothing—he’s not married yet, right? Those freshn girls don’t even compare to us!” another girl said, rallying support.
Later that afternoon, Zhou Yuwen ca back with milk tea and so cookies for the girls, along with a few band-aids.
“Since you've been in heels all day, stick these on the backs of your feet—it’ll be a little more comfortable.”
All the girls exchanged astonished looks at this gesture.
“Tao Tian, hold onto these band-aids for everyone, would you?” Zhou Yuwen asked.
“Oh, sure.”
Tao Tian, already srized, watched Zhou Yuwen move around the booths with a certain charm, catching the attention of nearly every girl who walked by.
Zhou Yuwen was busier than usual that day, handling various logistics. Midway, he ran into the sa group of foreigners again. This ti, they eagerly waved him over, expressing more interest in buying tea but struggling to find a vendor.
“Hi!”
Zhou Yuwen asked if they needed any help.
The foreigners explained they were interested in purchasing tea but couldn’t locate anyone who could assist them.
Zhou Yuwen replied, “Oh, it’s lunchti, so the person in charge must be out for a bit. How about I check which tea you want, and I’ll help you make the arrangents?”
The foreigners were delighted and chatted more as Zhou Yuwen led them to the booth. On the way, they marveled at Eastern culture, especially the local cuisine, which they loved.
Zhou Yuwen mostly listened, chiming in when necessary. Once they reached the tea counter, there was a young lady in a cheongsam, not from Zhou Yuwen’s school. He asked her where the person in charge was, and she inford him that they’d stepped out for lunch.
Thinking quickly, Zhou Yuwen called Zhao Jun to reach out to the vendor.
He reassured the foreigners, “Please wait just a mont; the vendor will be here soon.”
The foreigners didn’t mind and happily chatted with Zhou Yuwen about food recomndations.
“Oh, you should definitely try duck blood vermicelli soup,” Zhou Yuwen suggested.
“Duck blood vermicelli?” they repeated.
“Yes, it’s one of the most delicious dishes here.”
One of the foreigners, Tom, even asked to exchange contact information, exclaiming, “Zhou, it’s great to et you—you’re my first friend here!”
Zhou Yuwen added Tom’s contact and said, “It’s a pleasure to et you too, my friend.”
When the tea vendor returned, she looked bewildered as Zhou Yuwen translated for her. She gestured “three” with her fingers and said, “Three thousand per box—no, make that 2,500. Let him know there’s a discount if he buys more.”
But Tom, seeing her gesture, flashed an “OK” before Zhou Yuwen could translate.
“Do you know the price?” Zhou Yuwen asked, amused.
Tom replied, “What is it?”
“Three thousand yuan per box.”
“OK, OK, I’ll take ten boxes!”
The vendor was stunned, then overjoyed. “Oh, wow, tell him ‘OK!’ I’ll even throw in a tea set as a bonus! Young man, you’re my lucky star!”
She packed up ten boxes and even slipped Zhou Yuwen a red envelope with 2,000 yuan as a thank-you. Though he initially declined, she insisted, calling it a lucky gift.
Across the hall, a sharp-eyed business executive, Mr. Wan, observed the scene. Wan, a regional vice president of the Zhejiang Tea Association and host of the exhibition, nudged Zhao Jun’s boss, saying, “That young man over there is quite the talent. What’s his background?”
Zhao Jun's boss turned to him for an answer, and Zhao Jun responded, “I’m not sure exactly, but I know his family is in business.”
Wan, around forty, with slightly greying temples, continued watching Zhou Yuwen. He was impressed with how Zhou Yuwen managed both the logistics and his interactions with the foreigners.
Although multiple labor companies were contracted for the event, only Zhou Yuwen’s team was without issues. Wan nodded approvingly and suggested to Zhao Jun, “Invite your little friend to dinner with us tonight.”
Surprised, Zhao Jun looked over at Zhou Yuwen with envy. This dinner was exclusively for high-ranking executives and his company’s CEO. Even Zhao Jun wasn’t invited, yet Zhou Yuwen would be joining them.
They had initially planned to finish by 3:00, but the work extended past 4:00. When the guests finally departed, the part-tirs sank into their seats, exhausted, with so girls even nursing blisters on their heels.
“Thank goodness for Zhou Yuwen’s band-aids—he’s so thoughtful,” one girl in a pencil skirt giggled.
Tao Tian rolled her eyes at her friends’ admiring chatter. The six girls, each in their distinctive new red cheongsams, gathered around, so sitting and others leaning against counters, exchanging stories about strange encounters and international visitors.
As the conversation turned to Zhou Yuwen, the girls reminisced about the little things he’d done, from the milk tea to the band-aids and the ti he stood up for them against a creepy guest.
“If only every part-ti gig had Zhou Yuwen looking out for us,” said the girl in boots, pouting slightly. She leaned against the counter, her long legs in heels extending gracefully as she looked at the others.
The pencil-skirted girl chuckled and nudged her. “If you’re that into him, why don’t you go for it?”
“Believe , I want to. But… I’m not sure if Tao would mind,” she said, glancing at Tao Tian.
Tao Tian, sipping her water, looked tired and avoided the question.
The girl in the pencil skirt replied, “Oh, co on! Didn’t you hear Tao say he has a girlfriend?”
“Well, to , if he’s not married, he’s fair ga! And Tao, didn’t he buy an apartnt here in Jinling? I heard it’s a massive flat!”
“Oh, you sneaky girl! Tao, she’s serious!” the pencil-skirted girl teased.
Not far off, Liu Shuo finished briefing so student security guards. As he passed by, he spotted the six girls and casually looked around as if searching for soone. Spotting Tao, he asked, “Hey, sis-in-law, have you seen my brother?”
“?” The girls froze, exchanging glances before turning their gazes on Tao.
Tao, noticing their looks, didn’t deny the title but calmly replied, “I think he went out with Manager Zhao.”
“Ah, thanks, sis-in-law!” Liu Shuo grinned and walked off.
After he left, the girls looked at Tao with knowing expressions.
“Well, well, Tao, you told us he has a girlfriend, but here you are, sneaking behind the scenes!”
“What’s going on here?” they demanded, playfully confronting her.
Tao playfully protested, “It’s a misunderstanding!”
“Oh, really? Then why does he call you ‘sis-in-law’?” one girl teased.
At that mont, Zhou Yuwen and Zhao Jun returned. Although Zhou Yuwen had initially declined Zhao Jun’s invitation to dinner, Zhao Jun encouraged him, saying, “This is a gathering of so major players, bro!”
Zhou Yuwen chuckled, “I’m just a student doing part-ti work. I don’t see the point.”
“Don’t say that, bro! I might be relying on you in the future,” Zhao Jun replied.
Just then, they reached the girls, and Tao stood up as Zhou Yuwen handed her an envelope.
“Tao, here’s the part-ti pay for everyone—each of you gets 430 yuan.”
“So much?” the girls exclaid happily.
Zhou Yuwen grinned and replied, “It’s lunch compensation from Zhao, so make sure you thank him.”
The girls, catching on, turned to Zhao Jun and chirped, “Thank you, Manager Zhao!”
These girls, all campus beauties, chard Zhao Jun, who grinned and promised to include them in future events.
“Girls, the boss is treating us to dinner tonight at a five-star hotel. Care to join?” Zhao Jun asked.
Zhou Yuwen quickly cut in, “Don’t push it, Zhao. They’re decent girls, not here for that.”
Zhao shrugged off Zhou Yuwen’s blunt rejection with a sheepish laugh.
After Tao distributed the pay, Zhou Yuwen told her, “You guys can take a cab back to campus later—I have so things to take care of.”
“Are you going to that dinner?” Tao asked.
“Yeah.”
“I want to go, too,” she replied, looking at Zhou Yuwen.
“?” He gave her a glance and replied, “It’s not really the sa for you.”
“What difference does it make? I just want to see the world a little,” she said, batting her eyelashes playfully.
“Ugh~”
“Co on, Zhou Yuwen, take Tao with you!”
“Yeah! She can’t bear to be away from you even for a minute now!”
“Go on, go on!”
The girls
playfully egged him on, but Tao’s eyes showed she wasn’t kidding.
Zhao Jun, grinning, chid in, “Just take her along, bro. It’s no big deal.”
After a mont’s thought, Zhou Yuwen replied, “Alright, I’ll bring you along. I’ll make sure you get back safely afterward.”
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