RBCT Chapter 88 I struck gold!
Chapter 88 I struck gold!
Chen Zhiyuan stopped and pointed to the second floor of the building facing the street: "This is it."
Looking in the direction he pointed, there was a row of spacious floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor. Although the interior was a bit messy at the moment, the entire facade looked quite neat.
Lin Qiunan's interest was instantly ignited. Her eyes lit up, and she took the lead, saying, "Let's go up and take a look!"
There is a rather grand entrance on the first floor facing the street, with a wide door that is wide open and a spacious staircase inside that does not feel cramped at all, which is quite rare.
Ascend the stairs to the second floor, and a spacious storefront comes into view.
As expected, Boss Liu was still there, directing the workers to move the last few pieces of furniture downstairs.
"Hey, young man, you're here again." Boss Liu greeted Chen Zhiyuan with some surprise.
Chen Zhiyuan nodded and smiled, getting straight to the point: "I brought some friends to see this place. We really like it and plan to take it over to do some business."
Mr. Liu was an honest man, and upon hearing this, he kindly reminded him again: "Young man, when opening a shop, try to choose the first floor if possible. This is a lesson I learned from experience. Don't just look at the second floor because the rent is cheaper."
His words carried the感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex feeling or sentimentality) of someone who had been through it all.
Chen Zhiyuan smiled and thanked him for his kindness, then struck up a conversation with him.
Meanwhile, Lin Qiunan had already pulled Zhou Shutang along, and they were looking around the more than 400-square-meter space.
As she looked at the document, she whispered something to Zhou Shutang, nodding and gesturing occasionally, displaying a professional demeanor.
After chatting for a while, Chen Zhiyuan directly stated his intention: to ask Boss Liu to help contact the landlord, preferably to invite him over for a face-to-face meeting.
Luckily, the landlord was nearby and came over quickly after receiving the call.
Soon, a small business negotiation took place on the rather empty second floor.
The rent in this area is almost transparent. The landlord originally wanted to raise the price under the pretext of "new tenants, new atmosphere", and tentatively asked for a price of 12,000 per month.
Upon hearing this number, Chen Zhiyuan simply smiled slightly, his tone calm yet incisive: "Boss Liu, as far as I know, the rent for your second floor has always been nine thousand."
"How come it's 12,000 here? The second floor is still the second floor; this price seems unreasonable."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across the landlord's face. Just as he was about to explain, Lin Qiunan, who was standing next to him, took over the conversation.
She spoke with clear logic and sharp words, covering everything from the advantages and disadvantages of the location, the inherent defects of the second floor, the depreciation of the renovation, to the risks of the future market. She not only pointed out the other party's inflated prices but also offered a seemingly "reasonable" concession.
She was elegant in demeanor, yet her tone was sharp; after a few words, the landlord was somewhat overwhelmed.
Ultimately, through the "negotiation" led by Lin Qiunan, the rent was successfully reduced to 8,500 yuan per month!
Moreover, the lease agreement is for three years, with rent paid quarterly, and a deposit of one month's rent plus three months' rent in advance—the terms are quite favorable.
As for the "transfer fee" that Boss Liu originally asked for at 70,000 (mainly for Shangxin's renovation), Lin Qiunan successfully bargained it down to 32,000 with her arguments such as "We basically can't use this renovation style, and most of it will have to be redone" and "If you move out, we'll save on the clearing fee."
Throughout the process, Chen Zhiyuan mostly just watched with a smile, but his heart was already in turmoil.
He originally viewed Lin Qiunan more as a "tool" partner with connections who could solve procedural issues, but he never expected her practical abilities to be so outstanding!
His eloquence, emotional intelligence, ability to adapt to changing circumstances and control the pace of the situation—he's practically a born business negotiation master!
I've struck gold!
Chen Zhiyuan was secretly delighted. With such a capable partner, who was likely also from a distinguished background, his internet cafe business was like a tiger with wings.
To avoid any unforeseen complications, the three parties immediately signed a formal contract in black and white.
After the landlord left, Boss Liu looked at the three young people in front of him, especially Lin Qiunan, who led the negotiations, and gave them a sincere thumbs up: "Impressive! You young people are truly formidable! In all my years in this business, I've rarely seen such good negotiators."
With the storefront secured, Lin Qiunan's enthusiasm soared even higher.
She walked around the venue carefully a few more times, becoming more and more satisfied with what she saw, her eyes filled with planning and anticipation.
"Let's go!" she said briskly, her eyes sparkling. "Let's find a quiet place and have a proper discussion about the specific plans and implementation details!"
Seeing her best friend's energetic and cheerful demeanor, Zhou Shutang couldn't help but smile.
Chen Zhiyuan naturally had no objection.
With the biggest hardware issue—the storefront—resolved, he was now looking forward to having in-depth discussions with Lin Qiunan about his complete vision.
The street in front of Jiangnan University is bustling and vibrant with a strong commercial atmosphere, lined with all kinds of shops, and it's easy to find a quiet teahouse.
The three of them chose a quiet spot by the window to sit down. The aroma of tea filled the air, creating a perfect atmosphere.
The rest of the time was mainly spent Chen Zhiyuan explaining his long-conceived blueprint for an "internet cafe empire," which Lin Qiunan listened to very attentively, occasionally raising key questions or adding her own ideas.
Zhou Shutang mostly sipped his tea quietly, occasionally glancing admiringly at Chen Zhiyuan, who was talking eloquently. He thought to himself: How can someone so young know so much, and have such advanced and mature ideas?
Two million yuan was an astonishing sum of money in 1999.
The funds were more than enough to open an internet cafe.
Chen Zhiyuan understood this well: since he had ample funds, he had to start high and take big steps!
He doesn't want to open an ordinary "computer shop," but a flagship store that can lead the trend and define industry standards!
He named the internet cafe of the future "Future City Internet Club," a name that is itself full of imagination and ahead of its time.
He described the interior environment in detail: it must be positioned as high-end, comfortable, and professional.
It features a striking "battle zone" (exclusively for competitive games like Counter-Strike and StarCraft, creating a fantastic atmosphere), a private "private room area," and romantic "couple booths."
In terms of hardware, an overwhelming advantage must be achieved: all computers must be equipped with 17-inch flat-screen CRT monitors (at that time, most internet cafes were still using blurry 15-inch spherical monitors), mechanical keyboards with excellent feel, advanced optical mice (eliminating outdated scroll wheel mice), and independent headphones to create an immersive experience.
His thinking was exceptionally clear: First, concentrate resources to build this flagship "City of the Future" with over 200 top-of-the-line computers and a first-class environment, making it a landmark internet cafe in Jiangzhou and even the entire province, quickly generating a buzz.
Then, using the profits and surplus funds generated by the flagship store, the successful model was quickly replicated around several other universities in the university town, opening branches to form an initial small chain network and gradually monopolizing the regional market...
As Lin Qiunan listened to Chen Zhiyuan's well-organized and enticing plan, the light in her eyes grew brighter and brighter, and the blueprint in her mind became clearer and clearer.