Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 813 Giving Advice

Director Xu took the business card and glanced at it: "Brothers Group? What do they do?"

Xiao Wei said, "Food, department stores, real estate, and car sales."

Director Xu glanced at the business card again and said, "Wow, your company is quite large. You look young, what do you do for this company?"

Xiao Wei said, "I'm a shareholder. Director Xu, do you think this is feasible?"

Director Xu placed Xiao Wei's business card into his card holder, thought for a moment, and said, "It's difficult. The space is too limited; there's simply no way to squeeze one out." He then took out one of his own business cards and handed it to Xiao Wei, saying, "How big do you need?"

Xiao Wei said, "It has to be at least three or four hundred square meters, it can be big but not small. I'd even do it if it's over a thousand, it's unusable if it's too small."

Director Xu shook his head and said, "I won't mince words with you. With your capabilities, I'd love to cooperate with you. The storefronts are all government-owned, and I only have one salary, right? Renting to anyone is the same, and renting to you would even allow me to make friends. But honestly, it's really too tight. Everyone wants to make money these days. Just look at how many people are eyeing the school alone. Who doesn't have a few relatives?"

Don't tell me business is easy these days. Who would give up a profitable business? Every storefront is being watched. People know what kind of business it is and how long its lease is. Seriously, I get people coming to me every day. They calculate the time better than I do. They know when each storefront expires. Some even bring the money and want to book in advance.

We offend people every day. In the beginning, it was all people from outside the school who came to do the work. Later, when private businesses were opened up, people from inside the school also came. Now, most of the businesses outside are run by people from inside the school. Most of the people from outside the school have left. When their leases expire, they don't renew them and take back the properties for people from inside the school to run.

"It's true, the truth. Since I'd offend people anyway, I'd definitely rather offend those outside the school, right? Besides, everyone's already on campus, which makes things much easier for me. We're all colleagues, we see each other all the time, you can't expect me to give up my position and transfer it to you, can you? He couldn't bring himself to say that."

Xiao Wei patted his pocket; he'd given the cigarette to Yang Mingwei earlier, and that was it. He licked his lips and said, "I just took a walk around, and it's all small shops. The hygiene and environment aren't very good. You guys should really work on this. It's a university, after all; it'd be better for everyone if it were cleaner and tidier."

Director Xu took out a cigarette from his drawer and handed one to Xiao Wei, saying, "There's nothing we can do. It's all about connections. Many families have professors or school leaders in their families. Who can control whom? There's nothing we can do."

Xiao Wei took the cigarette, a Longquan brand, three yuan a pack. He lit it and said, "It's different. A clean environment is good for everyone. Besides, that's also part of your work performance. If you do things like this, basically all these people will be permanent, and you won't do anything but collect rent. Sooner or later, it'll cause problems. I'm being too blunt with you, but you need to demonstrate your value."

Director Xu paused in his cigarette-lighting motion, frowned, lit the cigarette, took a puff, and slowly nodded, saying, "You're right, buddy. No wonder your business is so big. I need to think about this carefully."

Xiao Wei said, "The streets need to be clean, the greenery needs to be improved, and some stone benches should be installed. The items need to be arranged neatly, and the size and shape of the storefront signs need to be standardized. You need to treat this area like a pedestrian street, like Zhongjie Street, and call it Liaoning University Commercial Pedestrian Street. You have so many faculty and staff families here, and several thousand students supporting you, so it can't be worse than outside."

Director Xu's eyes lit up. He leaned back in his chair, thought for a moment, nodded, and then immediately frowned: "It costs money, and the school might not approve it."

Xiao Wei pointed outside and said, "The school approves the project, but the final cost still comes from them. These days, businesses make money, so if you provide them with opportunities to make money, they'll definitely support your work, right? It's based on shared operating area. Everyone's treated equally, no one can find fault with you, the work is done, and the leaders can't see your abilities?"

Director Xu laughed heartily and said, "Impressive, impressive, you're absolutely right. I have to buy you a drink. You handled this brilliantly; I must make you my friend."

Xiao Wei said, "Oh no, I can't drink alcohol, I'm allergic. You'd better find me a place, that's the least I can do. Haha."

Director Xu's face fell: "Really, there aren't any. If there were, they would have been taken long ago. Didn't you see the stalls set up in the stairwell downstairs?"

Xiao Wei said, "That's why I feel your management is too unregulated. It's bound to cause trouble sooner or later. Business owners won't thank you, but the school will definitely hold you accountable. I don't believe the school leaders won't have something to say about this. It's too dirty and chaotic."

Before the mid-90s, everything was dirty and messy, but nobody cared or managed it. Everyone got used to it. It wasn't until the late 90s that environmental sanitation gradually gained attention, safety hazards became a major issue, and the whole country began to clean up and manage the situation.

Xiao Wei said, "You have to categorize the storefronts and the buying and selling of goods, and make corresponding management and fee methods for different industries. You can't apply the same thing to all industries at once, otherwise people will feel it's unfair."

Once hygiene standards are established, they need to be enforced. You'll get used to it, and things will be easier for you later. If you don't listen to the rules, just leave. You'll have a point with the principal, right? That's when they'll take you seriously.

You can't always be considerate of others' feelings; you have to be firm when necessary, otherwise you won't save face.

Director Xu scratched his head, clenched his fist, and slammed it on the table, saying, "That makes perfect sense, absolutely perfect. I'm like an invisible unit all day long. Apart from asking me for storefronts, nobody even gives me a second glance. Even the business owners below us don't take us seriously. Now that you mention it, I understand why. Yes, I'm the management office, I have to manage, I have that authority."

Xiao Wei said, "You need to let people know the scope of your authority and what you are allowed to do. Also, you need to generate revenue for the school and let the school see the benefits of the administration office. What kind of office are you now? A service office? A gofer office? Even the students don't take you seriously. The school's business is to serve the students, so you need to let the students know that the administration office benefits them."

Director Xu gave a wry smile and said, "What can you do without money? I've visited other schools too, and they're all in the same boat."

Xiao Wei said, "That's why you have to fight for it. Why should the school value you if you don't work hard yourself?"

Director Xu punched his left palm with his right fist, thought for a moment, and said, "Dude, you must have some ideas for saying so much, right? Tell me, if I can do it, I definitely will."

Xiao Wei said, "I don't know how much revenue your office brings to the school in a year now, or how much it did in previous years, but the purpose of the Commercial Management Office is definitely to make money for the school. Just think about it that way. Once you've done what I said and it's done, then you'll have the most amazing on-campus commercial area in Liaodong. Do I even need to say anything? How will your principal feel when other schools come here to learn from you?"

Director Xu shook his head: "It's too difficult. Look at me, my office is crammed in. There are so many departments in the school, but mine is the worst."

Xiao Wei said, "Let's tear this area down and rebuild. The buildings are old and too short. If we replan and rebuild, the teachers will have better living conditions, your area will be bigger, and you can add more stalls. The school's profits will be higher. As long as your plan is good, the school will definitely agree."

(End of this chapter)