77: Chapter 77 Investigating the Principal

Early the next morning.

Cao Kun and Li Guanlin walked out of the massage parlor.

After having breakfast, Li Guanlin had some business to attend to and left first.

Just as they parted ways, Cao Kun's phone rang.

It was Ji Guangli.

"Hello, leader, what's up?" Cao Kun answered the phone.

"Cao Kun, when are you coming back?" Ji Guangli's voice sounded a bit worried.

"Yesterday, President Zhang specifically asked me where you went. He said you've been on leave for too long, and follow-ups with several clients have been cut off. From his tone... he's quite dissatisfied with you."

Cao Kun then realized that he had unknowingly stayed in his Hometown for several days.

He had originally only come back for a blind date and to see his family, but he hadn't expected to get involved in the affairs of Xiang Ze Nan and Shen Muli.

"I still have some things to deal with here, and I might not be able to return in the short term." Cao Kun thought for a moment and said directly, "If things really aren't working out at the company... I'll just resign."

Ji Guangli on the other end of the line seemed to freeze for a moment. "Resign? Have you thought it through? Your performance is good right now, and you're still following Xuefen's order. Although President Zhang has some opinions, it shouldn't come to..."

"It's fine, Guangli." Cao Kun interrupted her, his tone relaxed. "I don't really care about those few thousand yuan in salary right now. It's just as well; if I resign, I won't have to look at anyone's face, and I'll be more free."

He paused, remembering the idea that had sprouted during his conversation with Shen Muli last night, and said as the opportunity arose, "By the way, Guangli, I have an idea I want to discuss with you."

"I want to start a business of my own, open a company or something. You're so capable; it's a waste of your talent to keep working for others."

"Why don't... you consider coming to help me when the time comes? I'll put you in charge of the company, how about it?"

This proposal was clearly beyond Ji Guangli's expectations. She was silent for several seconds before saying hesitantly, "Open a company? This... is too sudden, isn't it? Besides, starting a business is very risky, and neither of us has experience..."

"I know, this is just a preliminary thought." Cao Kun could understand her caution. "We'll talk in detail when I get back in a while. Don't rush to make a decision; think about it too."

"Okay, I'll consider it." Ji Guangli's voice softened. "Then you handle your family matters first. As for the company... I'll try to smooth things over for you first. If it really doesn't work, then we'll talk about resigning."

"Thanks for your hard work, Guangli."

Hanging up the phone, Cao Kun had already made up his mind.

That sales job had long since become tasteless to him.

With the system, his stage should be bigger.

Ji Guangli was someone he trusted and who was capable. If he could pull her into starting a business together, whether it was to cover up his 'source of wealth' or to actually do something, it was a good choice.

After hanging up, Cao Kun dialed another number.

The call was to a Private Detective named Guo Hao, who had just been introduced by Li Guanlin. Li Guanlin said this guy had a wide network and unconventional methods in the county town, and could handle many 'difficult problems.'

To help Shen Muli's daughter, Ma Xiaoxiao, enroll in school smoothly, the key lay in that principal, Li Chang.

According to Shen Muli, this guy dared to make such blatant threats, so it definitely wasn't the first time he'd done such a dirty thing. He certainly had skeletons in his closet.

If he could get some leverage on him, he wouldn't have to beg; he could just make him comply directly.

Half an hour later, Cao Kun met Guo Hao in a private room of a quiet teahouse.

He was a man in his early thirties with an ordinary appearance who would get lost in a crowd, but his eyes were bright and showed a sense of shrewdness.

Cao Kun didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his request.

Investigate the principal of the County's First Elementary School, Li Chang, with a focus on his lifestyle, financial issues, or other evidence of violations of laws and discipline, as quickly as possible.

After listening, Guo Hao took a sip of tea and smiled. "Li Chang... I've heard of him. Don't worry, Boss Cao, for someone like him, one investigation is all it takes."

"If it's fast, one or two days; if it's slow, three to five days. I'll definitely have the 'material' ready for you. It's just that the money..."

"Money is not an issue. I want solid evidence, the kind that will make him shut up and listen," Cao Kun emphasized.

"Understood, just wait for the news." Guo Hao readily agreed, and the two agreed on a price.

After seeing Guo Hao off, Cao Kun's mood lightened considerably.

Dealing with the principal was the first step; next was to finalize the matter of the pastry shop.

He opened the navigation on his phone and searched for nearby real estate agencies.

The pace of life in the county town was indeed slow.

Cao Kun drove unhurriedly through the streets toward the agency.

The sun was pleasant, elderly people were fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans while playing chess by the roadside, and street vendors were hawking their wares leisurely. Time seemed to flow more gently here.

Not far from where he started, as he passed the entrance of an old but popular Residential Complex, Cao Kun's gaze was drawn to a shop facing the street.

On the glass door of the shop, there was a striking red paper sign with large characters: 'Prime Shop for Transfer, Free Technical Training Provided.'

Taking a closer look at the sign, it said Si Wei Bakery.

It was indeed a pastry shop.

It was like being handed a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.

Cao Kun immediately turned on his blinker and parked the car in front of the shop.

He didn't rush in but first observed the surrounding environment.

The shop was located next to the main entrance of the Residential Complex, with many people coming and going; the location was good.

The storefront wasn't large, but it looked clean and tidy.

Through the glass door, he could see shelves filled with various pastries, golden and inviting.

Pushing the door open, a sweet, warm aroma of butter, cream, and baked bread wafted over him, instantly whetting his appetite.

The shop was about thirty square meters, with a compact but reasonable layout. One side had glass counters and display racks, while the other side was the prep area.

The equipment was wiped very clean.

The owners were a young couple who looked to be in their late twenties.

The man was a bit thin, wore glasses, and was organizing the shelves.

The woman was slightly plump, wearing an apron, and had just come out of the prep area with some flour still on her hands.

Seeing a customer enter, the female owner immediately put on a smile. "Welcome! What would you like to eat? The freshly baked egg tarts and Pork Floss Cakes are especially delicious!"

Cao Kun waved his hand. "Hello, I'm not here to buy pastries. I saw the transfer sign outside and wanted to find out about the situation."

The couple looked at each other, and the man wiped his hands and walked over, warmly inviting Cao Kun to sit at a small table nearby and even pouring him a glass of water.

"What is your surname, boss? Are you really interested in taking over?" the male owner asked.

"My surname is Cao. I am indeed interested, so I came to ask first," Cao Kun said.

The male owner immediately began his pitch, his tone full of the regret of 'parting with something loved.' "Boss Cao, to tell you the truth, the business here is really good! We have many regular customers, and we can't make enough bread and cake every day!"

"Smell this aroma, it's the real deal! If it weren't for my parents back in my Hometown being in poor health and urging us to go back and take care of them, we really wouldn't want to transfer it!"

He pointed to the shop. "Look at this location, this foot traffic! The rent is also cheap, only twenty thousand a year! We're transferring everything, equipment and techniques, for a transfer fee of only thirty thousand! The ovens, mixers, and proofing boxes in the prep area... they're all good! You can start working as soon as you take over!"

"Oh, by the way, we own this property. If you want to buy the building along with it, that's fine too! Just 180,000!"

Cao Kun listened while calmly sizing things up.

He just listened to the other party's words and didn't take them at face value.

If business were really as good as he said, they could easily hire someone to look after the shop or close temporarily if there were issues at home. Why would they go so far as to transfer both the building and the shop?

Furthermore, the rent, transfer fee, and property price he mentioned still needed to be verified.

"I'll think about it first. Let's exchange numbers, and if I decide I'm interested, I'll contact you again." Cao Kun didn't commit on the spot.

After leaving Si Wei Bakery, Cao Kun followed the navigation and found a nearby real estate agency called 'Anjia Real Estate.'

Hearing that Cao Kun was looking for a storefront, especially one suitable for food and pastries, a young agent was incredibly enthusiastic, serving tea and handing over materials.

Cao Kun didn't mention Si Wei Bakery at first, only stating his general requirements.

The young agent immediately filtered the system and then took Cao Kun to four or five places.

After a round of viewing, Cao Kun had a general comparison in mind.

The others were either in more remote locations, had higher rent, or the building structure or decoration was unsuitable and would require a lot of renovation.

In a comprehensive comparison, the location and existing conditions of Si Wei Bakery were actually the most suitable.

Judging from the market conditions the young agent inadvertently revealed, the price the couple asked for was within the normal range for this area of the county town, without any obvious attempt to cheat.

With a good idea of the situation, Cao Kun decided to look around some more tomorrow.

Cao Kun thanked the young agent and drove home.

...