novelleonline Chapter 962 If your hands can't reach, your feet will be fierce.
Chapter 962 If your hands can't reach, your feet will be fierce.
Half an hour later.
At a crayfish stall in Xinlu, Chen Xi and three women were sitting around the table.
"The price of lobsters is getting more and more outrageous. I remember it used to be 88 yuan per catty, then it became 138 yuan, and now it's over 200 yuan per catty. And this is obviously not enough to cover the weight. The owner must have weighed the soup as well. It's just exorbitant profiteering. I might as well go to my family's restaurant to eat." Zhao Lingshan complained while eating.
"Look at you, so capable. Why don't you just open restaurants all over the world?" Saori pouted.
"You know what, I actually had that thought! These days, the government encourages low-end consumption, and big restaurants are having a hard time making a living. I bet their profits aren't even as high as this lobster stall. I just heard the owner complaining about being broke, even though production has increased and the market price of lobsters has dropped. It's ridiculous..." Zhao Lingshan rolled her eyes.
"Ha, you call yourself a restaurant owner? You don't even know this. Crayfish is a typical seasonal hot item with a very short lifespan. The real golden period for crayfish restaurants is only four months a year, from May to August. However, the rent, basic employee salaries, and utility bills for street stalls or roadside shops are fixed and must be paid for 12 months without fail. Many restaurants that specialize in crayfish either close down in winter or switch to serving mutton hot pot at a loss. This forces the owner to earn all the fixed expenses and profits for the whole year in the four summer months. If a serving only costs 88 yuan, the restaurant might not last until autumn and will go out of business..." Jin Nana interjected.
"How do you know all this? Aren't you a foreigner?"
"We conducted comprehensive research before opening the dessert shop."
"I think you're trying to open a restaurant to steal my business," Zhao Lingshan said, exposing Jin Nana's words and making the other woman blush.
"From the time when crayfish sold for 88 yuan per jin (500g) to now selling for 188 yuan, roughly ten years have passed. During these ten years, the overall consumer price index in China has been rising moderately every year. Roughly calculated, 100 yuan in 2010 now has a purchasing power equivalent to only about 70 yuan back then. In other words, even if the cost of crayfish and the price of the shops remain unchanged, just considering the depreciation of the currency, something that cost 88 yuan back then would naturally have increased in price by 2019. Industrial products can reduce costs through automated production lines, and even become cheaper over time. But street food stalls are purely labor-intensive." In the service industry, tasks like washing crayfish, cooking, and serving dishes all rely on manual labor, making price increases in the service sector particularly noticeable. Besides currency devaluation and rising costs, there's another reason. The crayfish category itself has undergone a class leap. Many years ago, people ate crayfish at roadside stalls, shirtless, standing on plastic stools; the owners didn't even have shops, and costs were negligible. But now, crayfish are mostly sold in chain food stalls or themed restaurants with central air conditioning, stylish decor, and even celebrity endorsements… In other words, crayfish are now packaged as a high-end product,” Chen Xi added.
At that moment, in the noisy food stall, the television volume had been turned up at some point.
"...We have seen Zhang Yang, the manager of Inter Milan, a subsidiary of the Suning Group, being interviewed by major European media outlets. This young leader has once again become the focus of attention in the football world."
In the picture, Zhang Yang, dressed in a sharp dark blue suit and wearing an Inter Milan logo brooch, is full of vigor and fearless in front of the camera, displaying the demeanor of a manager of a prestigious club.
Speaking fluent English, he declared confidently amidst a flurry of flashing lights: "Su Ning's investment in Inter Milan is long-term and unwavering. Our goal is not only to return to the top of Serie A, but also to lead the Nerazzurri to conquer Europe again and return to where they rightfully belong!"
Upon hearing this ambitious declaration, many middle-aged men in the food stall, who were peeling shrimp and watching the game, couldn't help but cheer: "Good! This kid has guts! He's made the Chinese people proud!"
The scene shifts to a blonde, blue-eyed foreign journalist asking a question about the club's future plans.
Zhang Yang smiled slightly and dropped a bombshell: "Yes, for the future development of the team's youth system, we are very optimistic about the talent potential of the Asian market. I am pleased to announce that Inter Milan has officially reached a signing agreement with the young Chinese-Canadian player Lin Xin. He is a very talented player, and we believe he can prove himself at the San Siro. Of course, this is just the beginning. In the foreseeable future, I very much hope to see more outstanding players with Chinese blood join us and jointly build the future of Inter Milan."
This caused an uproar at the food stall.
Holy crap! Inter Milan signed a player of Chinese descent? That's impressive!
"Lin Xin? Which Lin Xin? Never heard of him. He's famous now."
"Zhang Yang is awesome! He's really planning to create a Chinese Milan in Europe!"
However, amidst the cheers of praise, a reporter seized the opportunity to ask a question, which turned out to be unusually tricky and jarring:
"Hello. You mentioned your hope to see Chinese players join, which is indeed encouraging. However, we have to face the awkward reality that everyone has witnessed the performance of your domestic team in recent years. They play terribly, and the whole nation has completely lost faith in football. In such an environment, where does your confidence come from? Is it because you are in charge of Inter Milan and are you prepared to use your position to give your compatriots preferential treatment?"
The question immediately silenced the room.
This was not just a question; it was a blatant insult and a call to action, exposing the raw wounds of China's football to the international media and attacking Zhang Yang's professional ethics.
Zhang Yang took a deep breath and answered the microphone, word by word:
"First, I must correct a misconception. I love my country, but Inter Milan is a professional top-level club where only ability matters, not connections. Every player who comes here must earn respect through their own merit. Therefore, the claim of 'backdoor admission' is an insult to both myself and Inter Milan's professionalism."
He paused for a moment: "As for your confidence in the football of a major country... to tell you the truth, I also have no confidence in the current Ukrainian team."
These words caused an uproar in the food stall. This guy was too outspoken!
"But! I have confidence in the future of Chinese football! Because... in some places, where you can't reach with your hands, you can use your feet! As long as you have the ability, I guarantee you will shine brightly in a foreign country!" Zhang Yang's tone suddenly changed.
"Where hands can't reach... their feet are powerful... Holy crap! This is a direct challenge to the Chinese Football Association!"
"Hahaha! Absolutely brilliant! This is a veiled attack, a slap in the face to those who only care about making money and not about sports!"
"A brilliant line! Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"
At the food stall, the customers burst into laughter after hearing this, and some even stood up excitedly to raise their glasses: "Cheers to Zhang Yang's line, 'If you can't reach with your hands, your feet will do the trick'! That's a real smart guy!"
Zhao Lingshan chuckled after hearing this. As she laughed, she whispered to Chen Xi in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I never imagined your little brother would become so famous in Europe, even daring to openly mock the Football Association. It's quite amusing. Back in the day, this kid was always following me around, calling me 'Sister Shanshan' and begging me to take him out. Tsk tsk… this kid's grown up. Looking closely, besides his sharp tongue, he's actually quite handsome."
"Hahaha, this kid really knows how to stir things up. He doesn't dare to say it in China, but he goes abroad to say it!" Chen Xi also laughed uncontrollably, clutching his stomach.
After laughing for a while, his expression turned serious again.
The reason is naturally Zhang Yang's words just now, which will definitely offend some people.
Zhang Yang is Zhang Yuandong's beloved son. If his son publicly humiliates an institution with administrative characteristics on the international stage, he will be labeled by higher-ups as lacking a sense of the big picture.
Once this negative label spreads to the financial sector, Su Ning, whose cash flow is already tight, may encounter various excuses and delays when applying for loan extensions and asset restructuring.
Meanwhile, in Yuezhou.
In the office, Xu Jia watched the interview on TV with great excitement, saying, "Old Zhang, your son is amazing! I wish I had a son as capable as him, but unfortunately, my two sons are both disappointing."
"Stop trying to change the subject. Will it even go public next year? If not, give me my money back. I'm not doing well either," Zhang Yuandong asked, his face close to Zhang's.
The Xu family had previously planned to spin off their core mainland real estate assets and achieve a secondary listing in the mainland market through a backdoor listing.
Due to funding issues, he attracted a large number of strategic investors.
Su Ning's company spent a whopping 200 billion yuan to acquire shares in Hengxiao Real Estate.
At the time, the two companies signed a performance-based agreement. If Hengxiao failed to go public within the stipulated time, Su Ning had the right to demand that Hengxiao repurchase the shares with interest.
Although this money is nominally an equity investment, it has the characteristics of a rigid debt to a large extent because of the clause that it must be repurchased if the company is not listed, which is a disguised form of borrowing money.
"Hey, don't worry! Your current situation isn't a funding problem, it's a business problem. Even if you take the money back, it won't solve anything. The home appliance industry doesn't have much of a future, so it's better to make investments."
“Back then, I planned to open Su Ning convenience stores and Su Ning Easy Shopping Plazas directly in all of Hengxiao’s properties across the country. But look at us now? You’ve acquired so much land across the country, but how many of them have actually been completed?” Zhang Yuandong said, his face still cold.
He's not having an easy time either. His business has been severely impacted by JD.com's e-commerce, causing profits to plummet. His main business is struggling, and his side businesses have been poorly invested in, which is barely enough to keep him afloat.
Unlike the hustle and bustle of Guangzhou, the atmosphere in a tea-scented office in Huajing was as heavy as still water.
The remote control slammed onto the sandalwood tea table with a dull thud.
The image on the big screen froze instantly, and Zhang Yang's smiling face disappeared.
"Outrageous, utterly disregarding discipline. Does he really think he's all that just because he's abroad? His father's still struggling to make a living back home." The slightly overweight man sitting at the head of the table picked up his purple clay teapot and took a small sip.
A man wearing gold-rimmed glasses next to him adjusted his glasses and opened the documents beside him.
"Young people speak recklessly and don't know the meaning of rules. However, Su Ning has indeed been too high-profile in the league these past two years, really treating football as his own private domain." The man with gold-rimmed glasses tapped the table with the tip of his pen.
"We must collect all the betting and broadcasting rights revenue from the Sea Cucumber team's several warm-up matches in the second half of the year. We can't let those clubs keep any more of it. Also, the new training roster for the Sea Cucumber team needs to be shortened. Let's spread the word that whoever wants to join the team for prestige should come and negotiate with the clubs themselves with sincerity. If the head coach doesn't cooperate, he should be fired immediately." The slightly overweight man leaned back in his chair.
"As for those special development funds, I've already arranged for them to be accounted for, listed under the turf maintenance fees for the newly built training bases. Outsiders won't be able to find out. As for the transfer market, from now on, all clubs' foreign player signings and naturalization quotas must go through a few agencies we designate. Only by cutting off the channels can the teams be obedient, and only then can the turnover be stable." The man with the gold-rimmed glasses lowered his voice.
"Hmm. As for Zhang Yuandong, it's time to give him a wake-up call. Make sure the lower levels are stricter with Su Ning's financial approval process this year, and find more faults. Also, talk to the major commercial banks and ask them to postpone the extension applications for Su Ning's several loans that are due in the second half of the year, and let them go through the normal procedures." The slightly chubby man put down his teacup, and a few drops of tea splashed onto the table.
"The reputation of the sea cucumber team on the internet has been bad for the past few years. This time, Zhang Yang stirred things up in front of the media, and the public opinion will probably be even worse in a few days." The bald man sitting on the sofa to the side exhaled a puff of smoke and flicked the ash off his thick fingers.
"Let them say what they want. What waves can a bunch of keyboard warriors make? The Sea Cucumber team has been getting criticized for a long time, but that doesn't stop us from getting our share. As long as we have the league, sponsorships, and betting odds in our hands, the more they criticize us, the more hype we get." The crew-cut man standing by the window turned around and slammed his empty teacup heavily onto the wooden stand.
"That's true, but if the higher-ups investigate, it'll be hard to explain to them. Should we ask the coaching staff to give the next match between the Sea Cucumber team and Syria a break?" The man with the gold-rimmed glasses looked up and closed the blue folder in his hand.
"What do you mean, 'let go'? Stick to the plan. Those foreign funds have already entered the game; this match must have a result. If the head coach dares to disobey and change the formation at the last minute, have the management team remove him tomorrow. The newly substituted young players all have their agency contracts signed with the companies we designated. If we lose, we'll say it's to train the new players; we've used this excuse many times, and no one can find fault with it." The slightly overweight man picked up the teapot and refilled the cup with boiling tea.
"As long as Su Ning's cash flow tightens, the salaries of that Chinese Super League team in Jiangsu Province won't be paid. When the players' morale collapses, let's see if he still has the heart to support his son's showmanship abroad." The man with gold-rimmed glasses drew a thick line on the paper, a smile appearing on his lips.
"Then it's settled. Also, notify all local clubs that the management fee for each youth team selection slot next month will increase by another 20%. Those who don't pay will be disqualified. We set the rules of football; the Zhang family thinks they can overturn the table just because they have a few coins? They're still too green. No one has dared to challenge us in all these years!" The slightly overweight man stood up, straightened his clothes, and strode out of the office. (End of Chapter)