After Rebirth, I Married My Rival - Chapter 05
Chapter 5: I Am a Gentleman
Under the blazing sun, Xu Yuan rode a small electric scooter carrying Li Xinran, weaving through the streets and alleys of Jiangcheng.
At this time, the food delivery industry was on the rise, but since no leading company had emerged yet, various food delivery apps were springing up one after another.
For Xu Yuan, knowing the future development trend, food delivery was indeed a huge business opportunity.
Unfortunately, Xu Yuan was good at investment—having a keen eye and quick action—but industry integration was not his area of expertise.
In the previous life, Kangaroo and e-Waimao became the two leading companies in the food delivery industry not only because they had strong capital backing, but more importantly, both had mature operational capabilities, robust network security systems, nearly complete business chains, and support from big data.
For example, Xu Yuan could spend a little money to hire a more professional team to design a food delivery app.
In the early stages, a large investment is required to expand the customer base and merchant group, but let’s set that aside for now. As long as investment can be secured, everything else is not a problem. The real challenge is whether there is the capability to ensure the information security of customers, merchants, and the company itself.
If you want to become the biggest and strongest in an industry, gaining the trust of investors and customers is the most crucial factor.
After all, even if you’re just selling breakfast, if one day someone spreads a rumor that the meat used in your steamed buns isn’t clean, even if you’re innocent, without the ability to defend or clarify, your shop will eventually go under.
In the information age, Xu Yuan had seen too many people in his past life stand at the forefront of the times, briefly waving the banner of their industry, only to disappear in the torrent of competition. In worse cases, they might even end up stepping on a sewing machine.
Right now, Xu Yuan wasn’t thinking that far ahead; he mostly just wanted to curse.
Damn it! How could such a small city like Jiangcheng have four different food delivery apps operating?
One order hadn’t even been delivered yet when the next one arrived, and sometimes there were four orders coming in at the same time.
“6404! Is there a 6404?”
Xu Yuan rushed into the milk tea shop, where a crowd of people was gathered waiting to pick up their orders.
This milk tea shop looked pretty popular, with three staff members inside who were all busy to the point of exhaustion.
Taking the milk tea from the clerk, Xu Yuan then eagerly dashed out.
Li Xinran, wearing a pink little helmet, sat in the car. Looking at Xu Yuan, who was sweating profusely, her eyes were full of complicated emotions, and she unconsciously bit her lip.
« How about I give you the helmet? It can also block some of the sun. » Li Xinran took off the helmet and looked at Xu Yuan with some concern.
“Better for you to wear it, or you’ll get tanned. I won’t want you later.” Xu Yuan smiled, pressing the helmet back onto Li Xinran’s small head, and couldn’t help teasing her a little.
“Bro, bringing your wife to work?” The older delivery guy nearby, who was also delivering food, couldn’t help but cast an envious glance at the scene.
“No choice, she’s clingy. She can’t do without me.” Xu Yuan hopped on his electric bike, waved to the other side, and sped off again.
“These young people… I should’ve known better than to greet him, ended up eating a mouthful of dog food.” The older guy laughed and shook his head.
……
The cool breeze slightly eased Xu Yuan’s fatigue.
Xu Yuan suddenly felt a chill, and when he glanced over, he found that it was Li Xinran who had stretched out her small hand to shield his face from the sun.
Perhaps because Li Xinran was a bit too close, Xu Yuan couldn’t help but sigh. The electric bike jolted along the road, and his back was being rubbed in a way that felt a bit ticklish.
This was really torturous! At this age, it’s the prime time for the « second leg to the sky » walk; which official could withstand such a test?
« Um… could you take your hand back? You’re rubbing me a bit… it’s getting hotter. » Xu Yuan finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up. He was afraid that if this continued, he wouldn’t be able to drive safely, and they might both end up in a ditch.
Ah?
The girl in the back of the car was a bit stunned, but quickly realized what was happening. She hurriedly pulled her hand back, her little face suddenly flushed red.
You…
« Stop… I’m a gentleman, just reminding you, » Xu Yuan quickly explained.
« Thank you… » Li Xinran’s face twisted in confusion. Did this count as her taking advantage of Xu Yuan?
……
Finally, it was time for lunch. Xu Yuan was so hungry he felt like his chest was pressed against his back.
In his previous life, after graduation, he had done food delivery, but back then he only had to monitor two apps. Now he had to keep an eye on four, doubling his workload.
« You helped me so much today, let me treat you to a meal. » Li Xinran took out a small pink wallet from her pocket and said to Xu Yuan.
« Sure. » Xu Yuan did not refuse; he was afraid that Li Xinran would feel too burdened, which would be counterproductive.
What do you want to eat?
« A boxed meal. » Xu Yuan didn’t think for long; economical and practical, boxed meals were his first choice.
« Do you have a big appetite? » Li Xinran opened her wallet and counted the money, then looked up hesitantly and asked.
Xu Yuan was also amused by the girl and couldn’t help but tap her forehead: « What kind of stingy boss are you? Cutting back on employees’ meals? »
« It’s not that, I’m just afraid one boxed meal won’t be enough for you, » Li Xinran pouted, looking a bit wronged.
Xu Yuan was a little stunned, then put his arm around Li Xinran and said, « Isn’t it enough that I misunderstood you? I don’t have that big an appetite. »
……
The two casually picked a restaurant and ordered two ten-yuan set meals.
Green pepper shredded pork with shredded potatoes and some greens, plus a braised egg, making it two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, which was quite suitable.
They were really a bit hungry, and Xu Yuan ate ravenously, not caring about manners.
“Slow down, be careful not to choke,” Li Xinran said as she picked some shredded pork from her own lunchbox and gave it to Xu Yuan.
Why are you picking all the meat for me? The green pepper shredded pork tastes pretty good.
« If you’re working, of course you need to eat more meat to have strength, » Li Xinran said instinctively, quickly picking all the shredded meat for Xu Yuan.
Young man, you’re lucky to have married such a good wife.
It reminded me of when I was young, my wife did the same,” the restaurant owner said with a smile, leaning against the table and smoking.
“Of course, who else but me with such good taste?” Xu Yuan pounded his chest and gave the owner a confident look.
Hearing their relationship was misunderstood, Li Xinran’s red lips moved slightly as she wanted to explain, but in the end, she didn’t say a word, only letting out a small sigh.
Xu Yuan naturally noticed Li Xinran’s little gesture and guessed that the girl was probably afraid that explaining would make things awkward for him.
After finishing the meal, the midday sun became even more scorching, and the heat was intense.
Xu Yuan originally planned to send Li Xinran home, but since the girl insisted repeatedly, Xu Yuan had no choice but to take her along.
The two of them were busy until after eight in the evening, finally ending a day’s work.
It wasn’t because there were fewer orders at night, but because the electric scooter was running low on power.
Ice City?
Xu Yuan suddenly saw a milk tea shop by the roadside and couldn’t help but stop.
The tea brand Ice City became a huge hit a few years later. In fact, before it became popular, Ice City had already been quietly expanding, and by the time it really took off, there were more than 4,000 franchise stores nationwide.
But for now, Ice City was probably still unknown. He didn’t expect a small place like Jiangcheng to have an Ice City!
【Discover a shop investment project.
Project goal: Ice City Tea Beverage (franchise store)
Investment loan amount: 200,000. (The host needs to repay double the loan, and the system will deduct 50% of the profits each quarter until the host completes the repayment.
If a loss occurs and the host is unable to repay the loan, the debt will be transferred to the next project. This will also affect the loan amount for the next project.)】
【Confirm investment?】
« Damn it∽ » Xu Yuan heard the system prompt and almost cursed in frustration.
This is even worse than loan sharking! Even loan sharks only charge about 30%, but the system directly went up to 100%.
« What’s wrong? Do you want some milk tea? » Li Xinran saw Xu Yuan staring at the iced city tea shop and thought he was craving it, then took out that pink little wallet from his pocket again.
« That’s not… I just think this brand might become popular in the future, and quite a few people are buying it, » Xu Yuan said, waving his hand.
Xu Yuan decisively rejected the system’s project.
[No]
He still had to attend university, and 200,000 yuan was enough to open a tea shop in Jiangcheng. Naturally, he felt more at ease if the shop was managed by family, but given his parents’ laid-back attitude, running the shop would definitely lead to losses.
If you want to open a shop in a place like the imperial capital where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, once the cash flow breaks within three months at most, it’s game over.
Xu Yuan definitely wouldn’t engage in a business that is guaranteed to lose money. Besides, the system’s loans are way too harsh! Wasn’t the funding for the previous project given for free?
……
Wan’er, you just graduated, and there are already so many guys confessing to you?
Xia Ke, who was accompanying Lin Wan’er shopping, couldn’t help but gasp when she saw the string of confession messages on her phone.
Could it be that because Xu Yuan gave up, other boys saw hope?
During the three years of high school, the relationship between Xu Yuan and Lin Wan’er was almost universally recognized, which made many boys who liked Lin Wan’er afraid to speak up.
But now, Xu Yuan publicly became sworn brothers with Lin Wan’er at the dinner table! Such a bold move gave other classmates hope!
“And Liu Hao? Didn’t that guy also try to play matchmaker between you and Xu Yuan the other day?” Xia Ke took a sip of her milk tea and thought to herself: You can know a person’s face but not their heart.
« Coco, Xu Yuan and I have always been good friends. You really shouldn’t misunderstand me and him, » Lin Wan’er shook her head and said.
« Alright then. » Xia Ke shrugged; he didn’t understand whether Lin Wan’er truly didn’t like him or was just being stubborn.
« Is that Xu Yuan and Li Xinran? » Xia Ke glanced over and just saw Xu Yuan riding an electric bike with Li Xinran on the back passing by.
Lin Wan’er lifted her beautiful eyes to look; that familiar silhouette, she naturally wouldn’t mistake it.
It should be them.
Actually, both of them are quite suitable. After all, they’ve been deskmates for three years, so maybe they’ve had feelings for each other for a long time.
Xia Ke touched her chin, analyzing. But she didn’t notice that Lin Wan’er beside her had already pouted.
Lin Wan’er didn’t even know why she was angry. Clearly, the two had no relationship at all. In her heart, she always treated Xu Yuan like a brother, keeping a constant distance.
Seeing Xu Yuan walking so close to another girl made Lin Wan’er feel uncomfortable.
