53: Chapter 53 New Store Manager Xiang Nantian! Want some Mala Tang?

Chapter 53: New Store Manager Xiang Nantian! Want Some Malatang?

Ordinary bosses and entrepreneurs might go to the investment department to argue.

The people in the investment department usually stall, saying that foot traffic will pick up after a while!

If the mall's location is good and the promotion is appropriate, foot traffic really will gradually increase.

If the mall's location is poor and the promotion is weak, foot traffic won't be able to pick up.

Those ordinary bosses and entrepreneurs can just wait to lose money!

Property management won't be soft-hearted; the rent that needs to be collected will still be collected.

Based on Su Yang's month-long field research and the data he found online, many so-called business districts across the country are oversupplied, and many have very little foot traffic.

In Rongcheng, he had also visited malls with no foot traffic.

Aside from street-facing shops, a few brand stores, and shops mainly doing delivery that were still surviving, the inner areas were empty...

Street-facing shops have at least some foot traffic.

Shops mainly doing delivery don't need foot traffic at all; they primarily rely on online orders.

The few brand stores that can survive do so because they have strong bargaining power.

Not only is their rent lower than that of ordinary tenants, but the locations they rent are also the best.

They can attract a portion of the customers themselves, and with a good location and low rent, their cost base is naturally lower.

Therefore, they can hold out longer than ordinary shops!

If nearby famous brand stores, like the Snow King milk tea shops, have all run away, then you need to be careful!

If an ordinary hotpot restaurant opens in a mall with no foot traffic, it's highly likely it will just be waiting to die.

You won't even be able to find someone to take over!

As for the extravagant promises of foot traffic the investment department made back then...

Verbal promises don't count; if you take them seriously, you've already lost!

Su Yang asked again, "By the way, how are the preparations for the hotpot restaurant equipment?"

"Boss, do you want second-hand?" Guo Fang asked with a smile. "I contacted a merchant through a friend who has a batch of hotpot restaurant equipment that's eighty to ninety percent new, including tables and chairs. I've checked them, and the quality is fine. They're at least fifty percent cheaper than the market price."

"That good?"

Su Yang was surprised.

"Many hotpot restaurants have been closing lately, some even right after opening..."

"Will it be enough for both stores?"

"It's enough for five stores!"

"Second-hand is fine, but make sure the style remains consistent!"

Su Yang liked picking up bargains.

Guo Fang helping him find second-hand equipment was also to help him lower the cost of opening the stores.

Such loyalty was commendable!

"No problem!"

Guo Fang guaranteed.

In the afternoon, Su Yang finally met Guo Fang's friend, Xiang Nantian.

Xiang Nantian was nearly forty, with a crew cut and a bit of a pudgy build.

However, he already had white hair and heavy dark circles under his eyes, looking quite aged.

[Name]: Xiang Nantian

[Status]: Sub-health, insomnia, heavy debt pressure, regret, nervous.

[Skills]: 1. Hotpot Restaurant Management (Proficient), 2. Hotpot Base Frying (Proficient), 3. Driving Skill (Ordinary).

Proficient-level Hotpot Restaurant Management was one level lower than Guo Fang's, but it was perfectly adequate!

Su Yang chatted with Xiang Nantian for a bit, asking some questions about hotpot restaurant operations just for show, and Xiang Nantian was able to answer them all fluently.

However, facing Su Yang, he was still a bit stiff and nervous.

Clearly, he really needed this job!

"Then I'll leave the hotpot restaurant on North Street to you!"

"Thank you, Boss!"

The man, nearly forty, bowed deeply to Su Yang.

Losing over four hundred thousand in one go had been a massive blow to him.

"There's no need to be so polite, just work hard!"

After Su Yang left, Xiang Nantian said gratefully to Guo Fang, "Old Guo, thank you!"

He knew very well that without Guo Fang's recommendation, this position wouldn't have fallen to him.

The compensation Su Yang offered was enough to tempt the vast majority of hotpot restaurant managers in Rongcheng.

"We're old friends, don't say all that!" Guo Fang laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't think about starting a business for now; the risk is just too high. Work hard for the boss; he's a generous person and more capable than both of us!"

"I understand!"

After suffering such a painful loss, Xiang Nantian didn't want to start a business again for the rest of his life.

"Next, you and Jian Wei will work together to prepare for the renovation of the two new stores!"

"Okay!"

When he got home, Xiang Nantian opened the door to see his wife and his sister-in-law, Wu Mei.

Wu Mei rarely used to visit their home.

However, after his hotpot restaurant closed, Wu Mei started coming over quite frequently.

The reason was that he had borrowed a hundred thousand from his younger brother!

"How was the interview?"

Seeing her husband return home, Xiang Nantian's wife immediately stood up and asked.

"It was a success!" Xiang Nantian said with a smile. "The boss is very generous; he offered a base salary of fifteen thousand, and there are commissions if performance is good!"

"That much?"

Xiang Nantian's wife was surprised.

Xiang Nantian used to be a hotpot restaurant manager, but his base salary was only around eight thousand.

"Old Guo's base salary is even higher!" Xiang Nantian looked at his sister-in-law, Wu Mei, and said, "Wu Mei, I'll try my best to pay back the money I borrowed from your family within six months!"

"Oh, look at what you're saying; we're all relatives. Who hasn't run into difficulties?" Wu Mei stood up with a forced smile. "The money can be paid back slowly; we're not in a hurry!"

"Not in a hurry?"

"If you're not in a hurry, would you need to run over here every few days?"

Still, Xiang Nantian remained very polite to Wu Mei; after all, he really had borrowed their money!

Sitting in his car, Su Yang noticed that Xiang Nantian's loyalty had risen to 85.

It rose very quickly, likely because Su Yang had given him a hand at a critical moment!

Afterward, he couldn't help but think of Chen Li.

After hesitating for a moment, he took out his phone and dialed Chen Li's number.

After all, there were still some feelings between them, even if not many!

Once the call went through, Chen Li's slightly sarcastic voice came from the phone:

"Oh~ Isn't this Boss Su? How do you have the time to call me?"

Su Yang smiled. "I heard from Dong Fang that you've been in a bad mood lately!"

"I didn't think you'd still care about my mood?"

"Are you off work?"

"Why?"

"I'm treating you to dinner!"

"If you invite me, I'm just supposed to go?"

"The Chuan Chuan shop on XX Street tastes pretty good. I'll wait for you there at eight o'clock!"

"Just a Chuan Chuan shop?"

"Then where do you want to go? Want some Malatang?"

"That's even worse than a Chuan Chuan shop!"

Su Yang replied, "Alright then!"

"..."

After hanging up, Chen Li tossed and turned on her bed, her mind filled with images of Su Yang.

"That stinking man!"

She couldn't help but curse softly.

Before she knew it, it was six-thirty. She agonized over it for a long time but still couldn't help getting out of bed to start dressing up.

She repeatedly changed through seven outfits and more than ten combinations.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she somewhat regretted not buying a few more sets of clothes.

But there certainly wasn't enough time now.

Based on her understanding of Su Yang, if she wasn't there by eight, he most likely wouldn't wait for her.

At seven-thirty, she was finally somewhat satisfied with herself, and only then did she leave her rental room carrying her favorite bag.

The Chuan Chuan shop Su Yang mentioned wasn't far from the hotpot restaurant they ate at last time, just a short walk away.

Although it wasn't some high-end restaurant, the location he chose was still quite sincere.

After going downstairs, she passed a convenience store she frequently visited.

Chen Li hesitated slightly but didn't stop.

However, as she gradually moved further from the rental building and passed a chain supermarket she had never been to, she finally stopped.

After looking around to make sure there were no acquaintances, she steeled herself and rushed inside.

As soon as she entered the supermarket, the cold air hit her face, making her feel slightly better.

She didn't walk straight into the supermarket; instead, she stood in front of the checkout counter.

"Hello, is there anything you need?"

The supermarket employee asked politely.

Chen Li opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, her face began to burn!