I'm reborn and I'm an international student again?

Turning on his computer and looking at the market analysis report on the screen, Chen Xi managed a weak smile.

Huatong's situation isn't good right now, but its competitors aren't doing well either.

The explosive news that suddenly appeared online dealt a severe blow to Chinese agricultural brands. With prices being roughly the same, products such as rice, flour, and oil produced by China Grain Group were deliberately boycotted by consumers.

These news stories are very interesting.

In his previous life, Chen Xi was quite familiar with private equity funds, as many Chinese companies entrusted their funds to fund management. This was because companies often had large amounts of idle funds sitting in their accounts, which wouldn't generate interest. However, investing these funds with private equity could yield substantial returns.

Generally, Chinese companies will first deposit their funds into a custodian account, which is an independent third-party custodian account held by a commercial bank with custodian qualifications, and the manager cannot use the funds at will.

Management fees are paid periodically from the fund account as agreed, while performance-based compensation is distributed after all projects have exited and generated profits.

However, often after such an investment is completed, the other party will find reasons not to pay, which is similar to the payment for construction work.

When fund managers come to collect debts, they often encounter situations where leadership suddenly changes, and the manager makes excuses like, "This isn't my responsibility, I don't know anything about it, and I need to verify it slowly."

As for why this news keeps popping up, it's not just Chen Xi; many people have the answer in their hearts.

"That's interesting. Who was the first to post this? None of these banks' websites say where they're from..." Chen Xi said, stroking his chin.

"Buzz." The cell phone on the table rang again.

"Great news! Our phone blocking software is experiencing a surge in users. Downloads have already surpassed 300 million, and it's already topping the app charts. You're a genius, you know? We're about to turn a profit!" Xing Tian exclaimed excitedly over the phone.

"Immediately? Isn't it free now? It should be free in the future too." Chen Xi was somewhat surprised.

"It's not the users who are charged; it's the telemarketing companies and debt collection companies that come to me to talk about paying money to unblock the system."

"Pay protection money? I don't want that. If this news gets out, it will have a huge negative impact on God."

“If we don’t tell them, they definitely won’t either. How would outsiders know? Why wouldn’t we make money if we can? Do you know how many companies like this exist nationwide? If each one pays a fee, our annual revenue would be in the hundreds of millions. Isn’t this all you’re doing to make money?” Xing Tian said, getting a little anxious.

"What I want is traffic, why would I make money like this? In the future, everyone will have our software on their phones, just like antivirus software on a computer. Then we can expand our projects..."

"Yes, we can then offer loans via mobile phone..."

"Come on, I don't want to do that kind of thing. You should just focus on getting the basic projects sorted out." Chen Xi shook his head helplessly.

The allure of online loans is so great that almost every tech company boss can't resist them.

"Haha, let's not think about that anymore. You're right, just focus on making our original product good. These days, the forum's trending topics are constantly updated. In the morning it's Chinese companies and banks, and in the afternoon it's Japanese and Korean girls..."

"Ok?"

Chen Xi was taken aback upon hearing this, and immediately opened his computer to browse, where he saw an article that read:

"KURIMU, a dreamy dessert shop co-founded by Korean and Japanese girls, is it a paradise of beauty or just a marketing ploy?" (Location: Shopping Districts Across the Country)

Contents:

I passed by the newly opened KURIMU yesterday and was immediately amazed by the store's appearance and the long queue! The two owners are said to be a sweet girl from Japan and a cool lady from South Korea, and they are even more stunning in person than in the pictures online.

From the cashier to the servers, everyone in the shop was a stunningly beautiful woman. Their uniforms were a modified mix of cute and sophisticated styles—definitely a feast for the eyes. I ordered their signature cream puffs and matcha rolls; the taste was great, but the prices were truly exorbitant. The whole experience felt less like shopping and more like attending a girl group audition… Has anyone been there before? What do you think? Is this shop actually selling desserts, or something else entirely?

The comments below are varied and diverse.

"What's wrong with enjoying both the visual and gustatory pleasure? The ladies are beautiful, the cake is delicious, I'm happy because I spent money! Do some people only think of the negative side when they see something beautiful?"

"I've been making pastries for thirty years. Skill lies in the hands, not in the appearance. What good will all this fancy stuff do to the cake? What do you think this place is?"

"Those who know, know. Japan has been doing this for ages, calling them maid cafes, selling service and atmosphere. South Korea goes even further, with idol-style marketing. They package the customs and aesthetics of both countries and bring them to their domestic shopping districts, all under the guise of high-end desserts. This cultural integration is brilliant!"

"I'm just curious, do they look at baking certificates or looks and physique when hiring? If the taste is the same, and a roadside cake shop only costs half the price, why would I choose this place?"

"Essentially, it's about consuming an East Asian fantasy of being served by exquisitely beautiful women. It's not selling cakes, but a sense of identity and superiority. You're not buying cream puffs, but a ticket to feel like you can step into this beautiful bubble."

It was clear that negative comments still made up the majority, and Chen Xi couldn't help but shake his head.

"How about that? Our forum has more news than others because reporters don't need to search for it; netizens will automatically share it. We can earn Tianya Coins, and if the forum gets popular, we also get advertising revenue sharing, hahaha." Xing Tian thought he was shocked by the number of views when he saw that he didn't speak.

"Um... let's remove some of the negative comments and then add some positive ones," Chen Xi said after thinking for a moment.

"Why? Haven't you always emphasized fairness?"

"Think about how difficult it is for two foreign girls to start a business here. How can we let our international friends feel hurt? Who would dare to invest here in the future? I'm doing this for the sake of the national economy. Nowadays, everyone is focused on attracting foreign investment..." Chen Xi explained earnestly.

“Okay… alright…” Xing Tian stammered as he listened, his voice filled with suspicion.

After all, he's the big boss.

Meanwhile, inside the KURIMU store on Xinlu Pedestrian Street.

"This must be another trick by our competitors! Last time they spread rumors online, saying we use high-quality materials but sell them cheaply, falsely accusing us of using counterfeit goods. Now they're using our staff uniforms and appearances as a pretext. It's really despicable." In the office, Jin Nana looked at her phone and sneered.

"Why is it so noisy outside? I'll go out and see." Saori, who was leaning against the door lost in thought, vaguely heard the commotion outside.

Inside the shop, three young men were causing trouble relentlessly.
"Is this even fit for human consumption? It's so sweet it's cloying! I have to inject insulin after just one bite!"

"Little sister, it's such a waste for someone as pretty as you to be a waitress. Why don't you come hang out with your brother?"

"I stood in line for ages just to buy that cake with the logo, and you're telling me there's only one in a batch? Just give it to me already! My girlfriend's going to be furious if I don't get it!"

The young shop assistants were all recent college graduates who had never seen anything like this before and were at a loss for what to do. "What's going on?" Saori came out and pulled aside one of the more quick-witted shop assistants to ask in a low voice.

"They cut in line first, and then started finding fault with everything. One of them kept lecherously staring at us and secretly tried to take pictures with his phone. When we stopped him, he became even more rude," the clerk quickly reported.

"Cause trouble?" Saori sneered, picked up her phone and dialed a number.

Chen Xi's security branch is nearby.

In the past, when similar incidents were reported to the police, they were often only classified as "disorderly conduct" and the matter was left unresolved.

This time, she plans to deal with these unreasonable people in a way that is a bit unreasonable.

Inside a casino in Macau.

"Brother Yuan, isn't it a bit inappropriate not to tell President Yang about this?" A short young man nervously tugged at the arm of the tall man next to him, glancing around anxiously.

"Idiot, stop pulling and tugging! There are cameras all over our heads, recording your every move. Tell me what?! I told him too much before, and now Yang Dan is so arrogant. From the fishpond to online games, which idea wasn't mine? He, on the other hand, claims it all as his own and belittles me. What's wrong with me making some money now? If you don't want to work, get out, I'll find someone else!" The man called Brother Yuan glared at him.

Gao Jiyuan was Yang Dan's underling in the country, and he had been by her side since their days at the arcade.

He considered himself intelligent, but he was never given a prominent position.

Yang Dan would occasionally come to him for advice, but she would forget about it after using it.

He usually only does odd jobs and is even used as a punching bag.

Gao Jiyuan had had enough.

People from Fujian province have extensive business networks overseas, including in Macau.

After being here with Yang Dan for a while, a fellow villager asked him if he wanted to get rich together, and Gao Jiyuan agreed without hesitation.

As for what kind of wealth to make?

It's the kind written in the criminal law, of course.

But he didn't care, because few of the businesses Yang Dan was involved in were legal.

After the two parted ways, Gao Jiyuan took out a stack of chips from his bag and wandered around the tables like an ordinary gambler.

Soon, he spotted a gambling table surrounded by people, and the monitor showed ten consecutive banker wins, forming a small long run.

Gao Jiyuan smiled slightly and placed half of his chips.

Good luck, the eleventh bet was still the banker's turn.

He won tens of thousands, but instead of pressing his advantage like other gamblers, he turned around and went to another table with more people.

He won again this time.

Gao Jiyuan was secretly delighted.

Casino counterfeit chips occur every year.

To prevent losses, the company regularly replaces the chips with new ones.

This new model is different from the previous ones. The chips used to have built-in chips, but this time there are none, at least not visible after cutting them open.

Gao Jiyuan took several home to study and finally discovered the secret.

The chip was hidden beneath a coating with a monetary pattern.

Although the process is complex, he believes that with the capabilities of the Chinese people, it is not difficult to replicate.

He asked a fellow villager to inquire around Zhijiang, and sure enough, he found a factory that could take on the job.

The boss used to be a technical expert, but now that the factory is not doing well, he has decided to take a risk.

"Heh... Yang Dan, that bastard, only gives me a few thousand a month. I can easily make tens of thousands in just a few minutes. With my brains, why should I work for him? If he can be a boss, so can I!" Gao Jiyuan sneered inwardly.

His desires swelled within him, and he acted more and more frequently.

Huajing.

Chen Xi smiled as he browsed the news from across the ocean.

After his last conversation with Dark, he, along with Jia Riting and Musk, began working on a new project.

When they strike, it's as powerful as thunder!

Major media outlets are reporting extensively on the latest developments regarding Tesla:
Hail Hop, a globally renowned ride-hailing platform, will partner with Tesla to launch blockchain financial services.

The report states that in Europe and America, taxi fares are mostly paid for by card or cash, which is neither safe nor convenient, and cross-border travel requires currency exchange. To solve the problems of payment security and cross-border settlement, Hail Hop will introduce blockchain technology to support digital currency payments for fares.

On the surface, this news seems unremarkable, but for people in certain specialized industries, it is undoubtedly a major boon.

In addition, Tesla will provide Hail Hop with a large number of electric vehicles for its ride-hailing operations.

"What a blunder! What a blunder! We should have gotten the financial license first before releasing the news. Just you wait, that fatso will definitely interfere and kill this project." On the screen, Jia Riting was practically jumping up and down in anxiety. (End of Chapter)