The Double 11 shopping season, spanning from November 6 to November 20, brought Zhou Yuwen nearly 300,000 yuan in profit over fourteen days. This sum was impossible to hide. Anyone paying close attention would know, especially Lü Hui and Jiang Xinyi, the accountants for Xianlin Labor. Every single transaction processed through the courier company passed through their hands.
When Lü Hui realized that major courier companies were transferring sums of 200,000 to 300,000 yuan into Zhou Yuwen's account, she could hardly believe her eyes. Her respect for Zhou Yuwen grew exponentially. These companies collectively transferred over a million yuan to Zhou Yuwen, but much of it was due to his prior investnts. Daily payouts of 70,000 to 80,000 yuan ant that only after the season concluded did the companies settle their accounts. Zhou Yuwen’s true earnings were just under 300,000 yuan.
Yet, for Lü Hui, these details didn’t matter. All she knew was that Zhou Yuwen now had over a million yuan in liquid assets, a sum she considered astronomical. Discussing this with Jiang Xinyi, Lü Hui couldn’t hide her amazent:
“Xinyi, how much do you think Zhou Yuwen made this ti?”
Jiang Xinyi didn’t particularly like Lü Hui’s two-faced deanor. When Zhou Yuwen was present, Lü Hui would respectfully call him “Boss Zhou,” yet behind his back, she casually referred to him by na.
“You’ve seen every transaction, haven’t you? Just deduct the expenses over these fourteen days, and you’ll know,” Jiang Xinyi replied.
“Well, he must’ve made at least 300,000, enough to buy a BMW!” exclaid Lü Hui.
Jiang Xinyi shrugged indifferently. She knew from You Changjin that Zhou Yuwen’s family didn’t lack wealth, so 300,000 wasn’t particularly significant to him. But earning such an amount in just two weeks still far exceeded the limits of ordinary people.
Those close to Zhou Yuwen were aware of his earnings, and even those further away had an inkling. For instance, Li Qiang overheard from their External Relations Departnt head:
“I heard that the Xu-Huai Society earned over 300,000 yuan this ti!”
“People who make that kind of money have real skills. Think about it—who else could front 70,000 to 80,000 yuan daily? That’s not sothing just anyone can do.”
“By the way, what’s Liu Shuo’s background? Does he co from money?”
“Background? It’s Zhou Yuwen’s money he’s using!”
“Wait, what? Zhou Yuwen gave him the money?”
This realization stunned Li Qiang. Only now did he grasp how formidable Zhou Yuwen, his forr roommate, truly was. Unfortunately, having squandered earlier opportunities to build rapport, Zhou Yuwen seldom visited the dorm anymore. Even if Li Qiang wanted to cozy up to him now, the chance was gone.
Earnings aside, the bigger takeaway from this campaign was the solidification of the Xu-Huai Society's reputation. Publicly positioned as the "University Students’ Mutual Aid Society," its mission was to help students better integrate into society—a mission perfectly exemplified by this initiative.
Previously, part-ti jobs paid 15 yuan an hour at best. Zhou Yuwen elevated this to 20 yuan an hour, attracting more people to join the Xu-Huai Society.
Zhou Yuwen didn’t keep a penny of the 300,000 yuan profit. Instead, he entrusted it entirely to Liu Shuo with clear instructions: buy vehicles, winter gear, or any necessary equipnt. Zhou Yuwen saw the Xianlin Courier business as just a small venture under his broader plans, alongside Xianlin Labor. Every week, hundreds of students participated in part-ti jobs, necessitating robust transportation infrastructure. With only two old vans from Liu Shuo's family, it was far from sufficient.
Zhou Yuwen instructed Liu Shuo to invest in six new vans, winter clothing, and even training sessions for part-tirs, such as etiquette or security skills. He also suggested renting an external office space, creating a formal headquarters for future ventures like food delivery.
By November 2013, food delivery services were gaining traction. Pioneers like Ele. in Shanghai were building ecosystems combining online and offline dining experiences, while ituan Waimai launched its operations. Tech giants were pouring money into these projects, and Zhou Yuwen saw an opportunity to collaborate locally for promotion and profit.
Aside from delivery services, QR code-based paynt systems were another burgeoning trend. By 2015, industry giants Tencent and Alibaba would aggressively expand these systems, relying on local organizations to facilitate widespread adoption. Projects like these generated significant inco for those at the grassroots level, leading to what many called a “golden era” of financial opportunities in the mid-2010s.
Zhou Yuwen hadn’t initially intended to profit from these trends but soon realized the potential of the Xu-Huai Society. By collaborating with erging tech firms and leveraging his local influence, Zhou Yuwen planned to capitalize on these opportunities, directing Liu Shuo to expand operations accordingly.
While Zhou Yuwen focused on long-term growth, Liu Shuo had broader ambitions, aiming to solidify their dominance across regions. Following the success of the Double 11 campaign, Xu-Huai Society’s influence surged.
Students from Jiangning and Pukou districts, hearing about the high pay and fair treatnt at Xianlin, sought opportunities to join the society. Liu Shuo eagerly welcod them, proclaiming, “Five lakes and four seas, we’re all one family. Anyone willing to join is a brother of ours!”
Liu Shuo's efforts established chapters in Jiangning and Pukou. These local groups began operating under the Xu-Huai Society, fostering regional partnerships and expanding their reach.
anwhile, Zhou Yuwen rented an office space outside the university, signaling the formalization of his business. Accompanied by accountant Lü Hui, Liu Shuo oversaw purchasing vehicles and securing leases. Through casual conversations, Lü Hui pieced together Zhou Yuwen's broader strategy.
She learned that Zhou Yuwen planned to formalize the company structure, offering monthly salaries of 4,000 yuan and full social benefits. This revelation startled her. She hadn’t expected the company she casually joined to grow so quickly. However, the realization also planted a seed of insecurity—would Zhou Yuwen replace her with Jiang Xinyi, with whom he seed much closer?
A sense of urgency began to gnaw at Lü Hui.
Reviews
All reviews (0)