112: Fang Yuanyuan: Si Ling, you should call me mom - The Rich Second-Generation Villain With No Morals

The first China Crawfish Gourmet Festival was still bustling with excitement. However, Qi Lin, Qi Feng, and Fang Yuanyuan had moved from the forefront to the background. The three of them sat around a small round table, enjoying crawfish. Without Qi Lin lifting a finger, Fang Yuanyuan fed him a peeled crawfish tail. Her pretty face was full of indulgent smiles, "Lin, today was really tough on you. The saying 'wealth does not last beyond three generations' is a joke. With a son as capable as you, even eighteen generations of wealth would be no problem." Qi Feng shook his head helplessly, "Don't be so quick to speak. This is just the beginning. The cost of free crawfish, plus the ads on newspapers and TV, and the cultural media company's planning, has already cost us over fifty thousand yuan. Who knows when we'll make that back." What Qi Feng said was true. Even though crawfish had gained some promotion, the current stage required burning money. Many hot projects have faltered at the last minute due to an unsustainable cash flow and failure to overcome their initial burn phase. "Who said we aren't making money already? Do you see the beverage stand over there?" Qi Lin laughed. "I calculated that during peak hours, the plaza had at least 50,000 people gathered, with a flow of over 200,000 people throughout. The 300,000 bottles of beer and beverages we distributed in the morning sold out within two hours, and we had to bring another 300,000 bottles after that." "The drinks are all directly partnered with manufacturers, with a profit margin of over 40%. Just from selling these drinks, we made nearly 20,000 yuan." The saying "the most expensive things are free" had been proven true by Qi Lin and later game developers. The crawfish was free, seasoned with spicy flavors; few people could eat it without also buying water or drinks. Crawfish and beer practically go hand-in-hand, and the scene was bustling with men who wouldn't resist a few bottles. Though the cost of crawfish was in the millions, the beverage sales alone not only recouped the costs but also yielded a profit. "What, the beverage stand was your idea, son?" Qi Feng was shocked. He thought it was a foreign businessman at the festival. Despite being savvy, Qi Feng had never collected a fee before, since their crawfish festival was free. Little did he know, his son was behind the profitable venture all along. Fang Yuanyuan hugged her son in surprise, offered him a drink, and then looked at her husband, Qi Feng, with bewilderment, "We always thought Lin was not very clever, but he's outsmarted his own father." Qi Feng smiled wryly, "Yes, yes, your son is the smartest. His intelligence reached even the headquarters, right?" Then, Qi Feng had a thought. If his son was calculating every move, why not provoke him into revealing his next money-making plan? "Lin, even if selling drinks earned us a bit, it's only enough to cover two-thirds of the cost. How are we going to handle the rest of the expenses and future profits?" Qi Lin found this line of questioning amusing and looked at his father, "Dad, don't try to use such obvious tactics against me. It's too clear." Seeing his son recognize his intentions made Qi Feng blush, "Hey, what's with the attitude?" Qi Lin laughed, "Tomorrow is Sunday, so we can hold the crawfish festival again. TV news takes a while to spread, so there are definitely still many people who haven't had the chance to visit yet. Today's visitors will likely spread the word, attracting even more tomorrow. Plus, we must consider those from other provinces who need travel time. This way, we'll profit even more tomorrow. Of course, these revenues are just a sprinkle—real long-term income lies in crawfish breeding and franchise fees." Though familiar with crawfish farming, Qi Feng didn’t quite grasp this. "Lin, what do you mean by a franchise? How do we make money from that?" Being an agricultural giant, Qi Feng wasn't well-versed in the dining industry. At this time, the foreign franchise model hadn’t yet entered China, so many were unfamiliar with how it operated. "Dad, our crawfish is so delicious, and there are many smart people out there. Surely someone will discover this business opportunity—don’t you think they’d come to learn from us, add crawfish to their menus, or make it for dinner?" Qi Lin laughed. "Indeed!" Qi Feng answered decisively. "So, if they want to learn how to make crawfish, they must pay a training fee. We could charge two thousand yuan, perhaps?" Qi Lin proposed. "And to sell our three varieties of crawfish, they'd need to use the Jianghan Crawfish brand. We are the founders—once we register the trademark, we'll establish an association. Using the Jianghan Crawfish brand requires joining the association and paying a six-thousand-yuan annual brand usage fee—everything is protected by law. Anyone misusing our brand or avoiding payment would face legal consequences." "Just think, if a thousand restaurants wanted to learn, we’d earn two million yuan in training fees. If ten thousand want to learn, we'd earn twenty million. That's not even considering the brand usage fees. If enough join, we could earn tens or hundreds of millions annually without even trying. Can you see how profitable this is? What's five thousand to that?" As Qi Lin explained, he observed his parents' expressions—exactly as he expected, full of disbelief. Yes! Why hadn't they thought of this sooner? Selling crawfish alone was a lengthy process that depended on market maturity. Instead, inviting businesses to join could invigorate the market and enhance crawfish's reputation, generating profits from those businesses in the process. "Son, how are you so smart? Had I known, I’d have handed over the company to you long ago," Qi Feng said, now completely convinced by his son. Fang Yuanyuan smiled and hugged Qi Lin, "I used to be frugal when buying bags and dresses, saving my money to help this little rascal find a bride. Now it’s different—with a son so capable, I could afford to retire and live off him." Qi Lin listened with resignation, "Spend as you wish, as long as the family has money. Why hold back?" Reflecting on his past life, where his mother left all her valuables to a wastrel in despair, he resolved that such a good mother deserved all the comfort he could provide in this life. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? This is the backstage area. You want to eat crawfish? Go to the front. You can't just wander back here." "We're not here for crawfish; we're here to talk business with Mr. Qi." "Yes, we want to learn how to make crawfish and help promote the Jianghan city brand." In the middle of their conversation, a commotion started at the stage. "Let them in," Qi Lin said with a knowing smile, already guessing the matter at hand. Following the young master's command, the staff let the people in. They soon filled the not-so-spacious backstage area with dozens of people. "Mr. Qi, I'm here to learn how to make crawfish." "Mr. Qi, I heard you're the only one farming crawfish in the entire Chuzhou region?" "Mr. Qi, I'd like to open a crawfish specialty shop. Could you authorize it?" As they listened, Qi Feng and Fang Yuanyuan exchanged glances. True to Qi Lin's words, a new revenue stream based on franchising had attracted a group of wealthy individuals seeking partnerships. Even at just eighteen, Qi Feng and Fang Yuanyuan now looked to him for direction, having come to see him as the family's backbone. "Dad, you'll oversee crawfish breeding and transportation. Mom, you'll handle franchise recruitment, brand registration, and association formation." Qi Lin smiled and divided the tasks between his parents, who readily accepted his decisions. Qi Feng stepped out to make phone calls, preparing for the following day’s second round of the crawfish festival. Meanwhile, Fang Yuanyuan gathered business cards from the interested parties, inviting them to meet her at the Tianlin Group's general manager's office the next day. By six in the evening, as dusk approached, the festival concluded successfully with visitors gradually leaving. Qi Lin headed to the beverage stall to find the little boss, Wang Siling. Upon arrival, he burst into laughter at a comical scene. All day, Chen Xiao Meng and his crew had been hauling drinks. Now, with the visitors gone, they were too exhausted to move off the ground, utterly spent from moving nearly 20,000 boxes of beverages, unpacking them, and distributing the drinks among visitors. "I saw how hard you worked today. Chen Aomeng will get one yuan, and everyone else will receive five yuan each—use the money however you wish. But remember, gather at the plaza tomorrow morning for the second crawfish gourmet festival," Qi Lin said with a laugh, pulling out a stack of money. Hearing about wages, with each person receiving five yuan, brought cheerful relief to the tired crew. The small gang of ruffians, who were exhausted just moments ago, immediately perked up with wide grins splitting their faces. In the open market, the most they could earn was half of what Lin Shao had given them—five yuan each. As expected of a young heir. "Thank you, Lin Shao!" "Haha, Lin Shao is so generous!" "Don't worry, Lin Shao, we'll be back here bright and early tomorrow." After thanking Qi Lin, Chen Xuemeng and the others left cheerfully, revitalized by their pay. "Brother Qi Lin, today's total revenue is 5,130,266 yuan and 50 cents. The money is right here." Even while Chen Aomeng and the group lay flat on the ground, Wang Siling's beautiful face stayed focused, diligently counting the day's beverage sales. Of course, this figure wasn't exact—Wang Siling calculated based on sold bottles, which should be close enough. After paying the manufacturers, the profit stood around twenty thousand yuan, aligning with Qi Lin’s estimates. At the moment, Wang Siling’s youthful face was flushed, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of fatigue from keeping track of all the sales that afternoon. Yet, this diligent girl never uttered a word of complaint. "Such a cute loli, is she worthy of that rascal Yu Chen?" Qi Lin mused, a trace of amusement in his dark eyes as he gently ruffled Wang Siling's hair. "Alright, I got it. You've worked hard today, Siling." Qi Lin smiled affectionately. Then, he pulled out a stack of bills, about a thousand yuan, and handed them to her. "This is your pay for today. But you must use it for yourself, not your family or anyone else." He didn’t intend to support her family, only treating her as his adorable companion. When Qi Lin called her "my little precious Siling," Wang Siling's eyes flickered with both shyness and sweetness. However, when he handed her a substantial pile of money, her heart filled with fear. "Brother Qi Lin, you don’t need to give me so much. I’m happy to help. Calculating is simple; anyone could do it." She bit her lip and lowered her head. "And didn’t I owe you fifteen thousand yuan?" "Take it without fuss. So much chatter for something so simple?" Qi Lin dismissed her hesitance with a chuckle. "You're my little sweetheart now. The previous debt is wiped clean. In the future, when you work with me, you'll earn wages and get pocket money every month. Isn't that something?" Even though affection may return, it needs constant care and attention to blossom. Hearing Qi Lin’s words, a wave of gratitude filled Wang Siling’s eyes. She had been worried that Qi Lin might just be toying with her, discarding her once he'd had enough. But seeing his fondness reassured her last lingering doubts. "Brother Qi Lin, I want a kiss from you." Wang Siling stood up, wrapping her arms around Qi Lin's neck, her eyes filled with infatuation. Given such a request from a charming high schooler, how could Qi Lin refuse? "Mwah—" Happiness radiated from Wang Siling's flushed face. Not far away, Fang Yuanyuan and Qi Feng watched the scene, stunned. "Isn't she too young? This rascal really scored a three-pointer," Qi Feng chuckled wryly. Fang Yuanyuan’s lips curled into a sly grin, "Isn't it great? The younger they are, the cleaner they stay, unlike those unreliable girls unsuitable for our Lin'er." Qi Feng sighed at his wife's standards. After teasing Wang Siling and ensuring she wouldn’t travel home alone, Qi Lin asked Fang Yuanyuan to drive her home. In the car, Wang Siling was extra cautious, her flushed face filled with tension as she fidgeted nervously. She knew this woman was Qi Lin's mother, potentially her future mother-in-law. Noticing how endearingly nervous she was, Fang Yuanyuan, sharing her son’s mischievous side, decided to tease her a bit. "So, your name is Siling? Yet, you haven't greeted anyone since getting in the car?" "Hello, Auntie!" Wang Siling quickly responded. Fang Yuanyuan feigned a stern look, "You’re mistaken. Don't high schoolers know even the simplest things?" Siling's pretty face showed confusion. "Why shouldn't I call you Auntie?" With a slight smirk, Fang Yuanyuan replied, "I already know about you and Lin. You'll soon be a daughter-in-law to our family, so you should call me 'Mom'." "Ah!" Wang Siling, naturally shy and timid, nearly buried her face in embarrassment upon hearing Fang Yuanyuan's playful remark. "Will you say it or not? My son listens to me the most. If you refuse, I’ll have him drop you~" "Please don’t!" Wang Siling was startled, her eyes brimming with tears as she pitifully called, "Mom..." "Perfect!" Fang Yuanyuan exclaimed joyfully, pinching Wang Siling’s blushing cheek. No wonder her son took such a liking to this cute girl—she was indeed adorable.