In the capital, Wu Xiajun rented a small apartment, brimming with energy. After completing all the necessary registrations, she brought over a few computers, considering it as the start of her business.
With the online store set up, Guo Jingyu understood the importance of publicity. He directly purchased a prominent advertisement spot. At this moment, everything on a certain online platform was just beginning. Surprisingly, these advertisement spots were cheap. On weekend nights, an hour of promotion only cost a few thousand bucks. Guo Jingyu bought three days in a row, all at the same time slot.
Wu Xiajun had a keen eye and a sharp mind. After studying the rules, hse observed the best-selling women’s clothing stores at present. Just like them, she learned to restock items every few hours. Because new products would receive more automatic recommendations, this strategy ensured continuous appearances at the top of similar searches. Its effectiveness surpassed that of the advertisements by miles.
The first batch of eyebrow pencils arrived quickly. Following Guo Jingyu’s advice, Wu Xiajun decided to sell them as ready stock, aiming to increase the store’s visibility.
On the day of the release, Wu Xiajun felt a bit nervous. “What if they don’t sell?”
Guo Jingyu sat beside her and comforted her, “It’s okay, Jie. If they don’t sell, we’ll just set up a stall. I took a look and there’s a bustling night market near the art school. Business is booming there. Making a few hundred bucks in one night is no problem!”
Wu Xiajun was amused by his words and eased her worries. Considering the cost price of this batch of eyebrow pencils, she realized it wasn’t such a burden even if they ended up selling at a loss.
After being listed, a dozen eyebrow pencils sold in an instant, but then sales quieted down.
Wu Xiajun watched for a while, feeling a bit disappointed but also felt it was reasonable. She checked the backend purchase records and said, “These few are people I know. I mentioned it to them before, and they actually came to buy it.”
Guo Jingyu said, “Let’s wait a little longer.”
“Wait for what?”
“Wait for the advertising to kick in.”
Wu Xiajun felt a bit nervous, but Guo Jingyu was too confident. Unconsciously, she was reassured by his demeanor, holding her breath and focusing intently.
Sure enough, just as Guo Jingyu had predicted, notifications of items being purchased started popping up on the computer one after another, accompanied by the constant chime of “ding dong.” Wu Xiajun exclaimed with joy, “Another 17 orders sold! Now it’s 23… 56… 120!”
As the numbers continued to climb, Wu Xiajun had no time to check the backend anymore. She logged into the chat platform and started answering questions. Since she herself used these eyebrow pencils and was very familiar with the brand, she quickly replied to all inquiries, sending out responses. But with so many people asking questions, she found herself in a flurry of activity.
Guo Jingyu also logged into the work account, joining her in handling the workload.
The two of them were busier than ever, barely able to see the light of day. Lao Cao brought them supper once, then fruit platters twice, and eventually, even Lao Cao himself was roped in to help.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Feeling a bit awkward, Lao Cao sat there uneasily, saying, “But I don’t know how to do this.”
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Xeb Alcuse mtlwfv lc, “Jjb uf, pera jcrkfg atfw jr sbe kbeiv lc cbgwji mbcnfgrjalbc. Jerabwfg rfgnlmf lr ilxf yflcu j rjifrqfgrbc lc j qtsrlmji rabgf, xffq la rlwqif, jcv gfwfwyfg, kf bcis rfii bcf qgbvema.”
Lao Cao nodded in confusion and began to pitch in with the work.
Guo Jingyu took a quick look and felt that this approach wouldn’t suffice. He opened a text file and started organizing the most common questions, then copied and saved the answers for quick reference.
Seeing him engrossed in something else, Lao Cao didn’t know what got into him. He leaned over to Wu Xiajun and whispered, “Xiajun, Jingyu is busy with something else. Why don’t we let him go first and I’ll stay here with you?”
Wu Xiajun stared at the screen, not even registering what he said. “Hmm?”
Lao Ca repeated his request again in a whisper, “Let him go rest, and I’ll stay here with you to work. I’m fine staying up all night. Plus, you’re living here alone, it’s not suitable for a girl to have outsiders staying over, right? It’s not very appropriate for him to stay overnight here…”
Guo Jingyu interjected, “Jie, check your messages. I sent you something.”
Wu Xiajun asked, “What did you send?”
Guo Jingyu said, “I’ve compiled a set of responses to the frequently asked questions, numbered for convenience. You can just copy and paste the answers later, making things easier.”
Wu Xiajun immediately replied, “Great!”
Lao Cao sat dejectedly on the side, looking like a child who had been left behind.
Guo Jingyu quickly sent him a copy as well and said, “Cao ge, I’ve sent it to you too. We might have to work overtime tonight. The first day is usually busier, but after midnight, it tends to calm down. Discuss with Jie, if tomorrow looks as hot as today, we’ll hire someone specifically for customer service.”
Lao Cao nodded, “Alright, leave it to us.”
Guo Jingyu stayed busy for a while longer. Around 10:30 in the evening, his phone buzzed several times with messages. Glancing at his phone, he turned to Lao Cao and said, “Cao ge, you guys are busy. I’ll head back first.”
Just as Lao Cao entered his state, he heard with some surprise, “You’re not staying tonight?”
Guo Jingyu smiled, “My Jie lives alone in a single apartment. It’s not appropriate for me to stay. I’ll head out first.”
Wu Xiajun also lifted her head from her busy work to look at him, “Jingyu, you’re leaving already? How about I drive you? It’s not convenient to go back to the studio this late.” She had a cheap Chery QQ, which she usually drove between Jinshi and Beijing, often coming to visit Lao Cao.
Guo Jingyu waved his hand, “No need, I’ll just take a taxi. Jie, remember to reimburse me for the fare later.”
Wu Xiajun laughed, “Sure! Even if you take a taxi and circle around Beijing three times for a joyride, I’ll still reimburse you!”
Lao Cao stood up to see him off, but as they reached the door, Guo Jingyu pushed him back inside, saying with a smile, “Cao ge, go back and keep my Jie company.”
Lao Cao, still trying to maintain his righteousness, made an effort to appear upright. “Yes, I’ll go back once things calm down a bit. It’s mainly because she’s a girl, living alone and working so late. I’m worried about her.”
Guo Jingyu chimed in, “Exactly! It would be best if you could help her check things later tonight, maybe go over some forms and print out some documents. Show her some real support.” He winked at Lao Cao. “My Jie is really a great girl, Cao ge. Don’t miss this chance!”
Lao Cao blushed at his teasing, not sure how to respond. He cleared his throat and said, “You keep calling her ‘Jie’ so affectionately. I’ve known Xiajun for several years, but I’ve never seen her so fond of anyone before.”
Guo Jingyu laughed, “That’s right, we’re true siblings with different parents, not like you.” Taking advantage of Lao Cao’s delayed reaction, he tapped his shoulder and whispered, “Cao ge, when you see such a great girl, aren’t you moved? Put in some effort, chase her back soon. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later.”
Lao Cao turned bright red at the teasing. After Guo Jingyu left, he closed the door and his face remained flushed.
When they were alone, Lao Cao couldn’t help but keep sneaking glances at the girl beside him.
Although Wu Xiajun looked busy and not as meticulously dressed as usual. Her hair wasn’t flowing in loose curls. Instead, it was casually tied up in a bun, swaying as she typed. Strands of hair fell onto her forehead, making her look particularly small. Somehow, Lao Cao found her attractive in this state. The more he looked, the more he liked her.
Guo Jingyu was an outsider so it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to stay overnight at Wu Xiajun’s place.
Lao Cao felt that he, on the other hand, was quite suitable.
He returned to his seat and worked diligently.
Although tired, he felt very happy.
On his way back, Guo Jingyu sent a few texts to Li Tongzhou. After a few messages, Li Tongzhou called him.
“Are you in the car?” Li Tongzhou asked.
“En.”
“If you’re in the car, don’t keep your head down texting, or you’ll end up feeling nauseous again.”
“Got it.” Guo Jingyu laughed, leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed as he talked to Li Tongzhou. “Why do you have time to call today? Is there no one at your place again?”
“My mom is working overtime. So, she might be back a little later,” Li Tongzhou replied.
Guo Jingyu asked again, “Did you miss me today?”
His topic changed so quickly that Li Tongzhou didn’t catch on immediately. After a moment, he responded, “I did. At lunchtime in the canteen, they had cherry pork. It’s a pity you weren’t there.”
Guo Jingyu loved to eat sweet foods, and his favorite was the cherry pork made by the school canteen’s head chef, which was considered a signature dish at Chengnan High School. Hearing this, he chuckled and said, “Help me eat some. I really miss being back there, but it seems like I won’t be able to make it back even for the summer break this time. I have some things to take care of, so I might not be back until late September.”
Li Tongzhou was a bit surprised. “You’re not coming back for the summer break either?”
Guo Jingyu sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been busy lately, but I’ve already finished half of what I needed to do. I think…” He trailed off halfway through his sentence and then deliberately adopted Li Tongzhou’s tone from earlier. “I’ll tell you later. Just wait for it.”
“Why wait?” Li Tongzhou asked.
“It’s a secret exchange, isn’t it? Don’t you also have something to tell me later?” Guo Jingyu replied, mimicking Li Tongzhou’s playful tone.
Li Tongzhou chuckled at his banter. “Why do you always manage to avoid losses? Even for this?”
Guo Jingyu replied, “That’s right. No one has ever made me suffer a loss in my life. Li Tongzhou, I’ve made a deal with you. You’re not allowed to let me suffer a loss either. Let’s make a pact. We won’t keep anything from each other, we must be honest.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Li Tongzhou responded, “Okay.”
Guo Jingyu softened his tone and offered another sweet date. “You got sick and didn’t tell me. I worried for days and couldn’t sleep well, really. Dark circles even appeared. Just imagine, if I got sick and ended up in the hospital, and I didn’t tell you anything. Then, after disappearing for a while and getting better, I suddenly showed up in front of you all lively and well. Wouldn’t you feel suffocated?”
There was a moment of quiet on the other end of the phone, as if contemplating this question.
Guo Jingyu coaxed him, “I’ll give you time, but remember, time is limited, you know?”
“I understand,” Li Tongzhou replied.
K: We are almost done! Just maybe around 25 more chapters AAAAAH
