The next morning, after breakfast, Lin Jiang first drove Chen Jingxian to work, then returned to the noodle shop himself.
Soon, Yang Tao, Li Yuanyuan, and Zhou Xiaoli all arrived as well.
Leaving the shop’s operations to them, Lin Jiang went out the back door to continue searching for a suitable property.
Around noon, the shop grew busy. Lin Jiang didn’t slack off, either; he went back inside to help out.
Meanwhile, the man and woman from yesterday were also eating at the shop. They’d waited in line for over twenty minutes just to get a table, and even then, it was one of the outdoor ones.
"This place is unbelievably busy," said the uniformed man from yesterday. "It’s past one o’clock, and it’s still packed."
"Looks like they’ve got the real deal," the long-haired woman said. "Their scallion oil noodles are excellent, too. It feels like everything on the menu is solid; you can’t go wrong no matter what you order."
"I agree. But I heard this noodle shop once tried to set up in our mall, but the previous manager rejected them," the man complained.
"Talk about incompetent. If he had approved their application back then, we wouldn’t be in this mess."
"Well, you can’t really say that. If they’d really opened a branch back then, Ma Shangxi might not have left. In the end, it was all just fate."
"We’re about done eating. Isn’t it time to go talk to him?"
The woman nodded. "Excuse me, we’re ready for the check."
Hearing the call, Lin Jiang saw that Li Yuanyuan and Zhou Xiaoli were busy, so he went over himself and glanced at the dishes on the table.
"That’ll be 58. The QR code is on the table."
As they were paying, the long-haired woman glanced at Lin Jiang.
"Are you the owner of this shop?"
"I am. What can I do for you?"
Lin Jiang didn’t pay them much mind. ’People who ask that are usually salespeople, probably from some beverage supplier.’
"Let me introduce myself. My name is He Jing, and I’m the manager of Berkeley Mall. This is my colleague, Liu Zichao."
Lin Jiang was a bit surprised to learn their identities. ’There’s no reason for them to be looking for me.’
"What business do you have with me?"
"Well, in addition to being the mall manager, I’m also in charge of tenant recruitment," He Jing said politely. "I’d like to talk to you about your interest in opening a location in Berkeley Mall."
"We also understand that you previously expressed interest in opening a location with us, but for one reason or another, it didn’t work out. We’re hoping we can still have the opportunity to work together."
’Can’t be rude to someone who’s smiling at you.’ Since her attitude was so polite, there was no reason for him to put on a sour face.
"That’s true, but the past is the past. You can’t just come looking for a partnership now that my business is booming. That’s not a very upstanding way to do business."
From Lin Jiang’s words, He Jing could tell a few things.
’Even though he’s young, this Lin Jiang is a sly old fox.’
"We definitely wouldn’t expect you to join us without any incentives. We can offer you some favorable terms," He Jing said.
"We’ll waive three years of management fees, give you a 20% rent reduction, and we’ll also put up posters for you in prominent locations. How about it, Boss Lin?"
Lin Jiang didn’t answer right away, his eyes instinctively drifting up toward Berkeley Mall across the street.
’The location across the street is actually excellent. Moving there wouldn’t hurt business, and I wouldn’t have to build up my reputation all over again.’
’But the Berkeley Mall food court is in the basement. Without a proper storefront, it would be hard to attract new diners.’
’If I really moved over there, I’d have to rely on word-of-mouth spreading from one person to the next. They say good wine needs no bush, but it still feels like it’s missing something.’
Lin Jiang shook his head. "I don’t think that’ll work."
"Are you not satisfied with our offer?"
Lin Jiang nodded honestly.
He Jing habitually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a smile gracing her lips. "That’s easily handled. If there’s something you’re not satisfied with, just say the word. Everything is negotiable."
In truth, Lin Jiang was very satisfied with Berkeley’s location.
On a sentimental level, he’d lived in this area for so long that he was familiar with every last detail. He felt a certain attachment, the kind that makes it hard to leave a place you know.
So, if he could secure a suitable space at Berkeley, that would be ideal.
’But now, I have the upper hand. That means there’s a lot of room to negotiate.’
’And when it comes to tenant recruitment, a mall’s bottom line can be very flexible.’
’They practically let major international brands move in for free, just to boost their own prestige.’
"A storefront of at least 300 square meters, a fifty-percent rent discount, and management fees waived for life," Lin Jiang stated, getting straight to the point.
"Well..." He Jing hesitated.
’Lin Jiang’s demands are steep, but not completely outrageous. He’s just squeezed our margins down to the bare minimum.’
"Is there any wiggle room? I’m afraid we’ll have a hard time meeting those demands," He Jing said.
"If you don’t want to be in the food court, we also have space on the third and fourth floors. There are other restaurants there as well."
"That’s my bottom line."
Lin Jiang’s stance was unshakable. The noodle shop’s quality and reputation were his greatest trump cards; there was no reason to back down.
"You came looking for me, so you must have done your research. I’m sure you’ve calculated the foot traffic all these customers can bring. If you can’t decide right now, you can go back and consider it."
Seeing how firm Lin Jiang was, the two of them exchanged a glance, knowing there was no point in pressing the matter further.
"We’ll do our best to get back to you with a decision as soon as possible."
"Alright."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two prepared to turn and leave.
Just then, Li Yuanyuan came out of the shop, ready to clear the bowls from the table.
"Brother Jiang..."
"Was that President Zhang from Wanda on the phone for me? Tell him 278 square meters is too small. I’m not interested."
Li Yuanyuan: ???
"It’s hot today. Go buy a watermelon, and grab some ice cream, too. Get the expensive kind."
"You got it!"
The moment she heard there was ice cream involved, Li Yuanyuan skipped away happily.
Lin Jiang turned to He Jing. "Apologies, a lot of people have been trying to get in touch with me lately. I won’t be able to see you out."
With that, Lin Jiang turned and went back into the noodle shop. He Jing and Liu Zichao exchanged a look, then left. They returned to Berkeley Mall and found a place to sit.
"This situation isn’t good," Liu Zichao said, deeply concerned. "People from Wanda are already calling him. They obviously want to recruit him, and they’re even offering 600,000 a year."
"That’s why we need to have a serious talk with our boss about this."
He Jing habitually tucked her hair back, an act full of feminine charm. "This is our first recruitment project. We have to deliver some results, otherwise we won’t be able to gain a foothold here."
"I know, but can you stop doing that with your hair? I’m still single, you know. With you being this feminine, how am I ever going to find a girlfriend?"
"Then just find someone who lives up to my standard."
"I just had an idea," Liu Zichao said mischievously.
"Why don’t you try a honey trap? With your looks and that body, you could have him wrapped around your little finger."
"Do you take him for some kind of loser? Boss Lin is really handsome, you know. I bet he’s been with countless women. A cheap trick like that won’t work on him."
"How could it not? Normal guys can’t handle a figure like yours. You look like you walked right out of a Korean webtoon."
"Oh, get out of here. The more you talk, the crazier you sound."

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