Chapter 489: There Are So Many Crazy People in This Era

Chapter 489: There Are So Many Crazy People in This Era

Afternoon.

Guangzhou.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.

After work, Deng Yunheng took off his white coat and prepared to visit the newly opened Walmart shopping plaza to gather some intelligence for his brother and sister-in-law, to see just how formidable this foreign retail giant really was.

In recent years, his brother and sister-in-law's Yongjia Chain Supermarket had developed rapidly, with branches now spread across the country, making it one of the undisputed retail giants, comparable to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and department stores.

Since the supermarket shopping model was different from that of the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and department stores, his brother and sister-in-law's chain supermarkets had no real competitors.

Therefore, the development speed of Yongjia Supermarket had been increasing year by year, with the number of branches growing exponentially.

However, things were different now. Yongjia Supermarket had two new competitors: Carrefour and Walmart.

Although Walmart had only entered the country this year and Carrefour last year, both supermarkets had very few branches, these two were still world-renowned retail giants, enjoying the best preferential conditions as foreign-funded enterprises, making their competitiveness truly formidable.

When Deng Yunheng arrived at the Walmart shopping plaza, the sky had already darkened.

He hadn't had dinner yet, so he decided to grab something to eat nearby before entering Walmart. He settled on a small stall selling liangpi (cold skin noodles) and ordered a bowl.

Just as he was about to sit down and wait, a pleasant voice called out, "Deng Senior."

Deng Yunheng turned to see Feng Yingying looking at him with a surprised expression, clearly not expecting to run into him at this small liangpi stall. He couldn't help but smile and greet her, "Feng Junior, what a coincidence. Are you out shopping alone?"

Feng Yingying nodded, "Yes, I heard that the Walmart shopping plaza opened yesterday, so I came to check it out today since I had nothing else to do."

"Really? I also heard about the opening today and decided to come and join the crowd."

At this point, Deng Yunheng asked, "Feng Junior, have you had dinner yet? If not, how about I treat you to a meal, and then we can go shopping at Walmart together?"

Feng Yingying smiled, "I haven't eaten yet, but there's no need to go out of your way to treat me. When I was studying in Xi'an, my favorite snack was liangpi, so I came here to try it out."

"Boss, another bowl of liangpi."

As he said this, Deng Yunheng asked, "Feng Junior, how spicy can you handle?"

"Boss, make it a little spicy."

Feng Yingying told the boss first and then smiled, "Although most people in our region can't handle spicy food, I can tolerate it quite well."

Deng Yunheng smiled, "Being able to handle spicy food is a good thing. That way, you can eat almost anything. If you can't handle any spiciness, you'd have fewer options. As my father would say, it means you don't have much of a palate."

Feng Yingying laughed, "That's true."

Mixing liangpi was a simple task, and the boss quickly brought over two bowls. The small stall had a few small tables and stools set up nearby. Deng Yunheng and Feng Yingying sat at one of the tables, facing each other, and began to savor this snack with over two thousand years of history.

After a few bites of the tasty liangpi, Deng Yunheng asked, "Feng Junior, I heard you and your sister talking about going back to work at your family company. Have you started yet?"

Feng Yingying swallowed the liangpi in her mouth and replied, "Not yet. I just graduated and came back, so I plan to rest for a month or so before starting work."

Deng Yunheng smiled, "That's a good idea. Once you start working, unless you plan to reveal your identity, you'll have to be diligent and not skip work, as that would leave a bad impression on your colleagues."

Feng Yingying nodded, "That's what I think too."

The two continued chatting while eating, and they finished their bowls of liangpi in less than fifteen minutes.

Deng Yunheng paid the bill and then walked with Feng Yingying to the Walmart shopping plaza.

Although Guangzhou already had large supermarkets like Yongjia, the opening of the Walmart shopping plaza still attracted many customers.

Most customers were just there for the excitement, taking the opportunity to check the prices at Walmart and compare them with those at Yongjia. They would then decide where to shop based on which supermarket offered better deals, as most customers believed that the cheaper option was the best.

Deng Yunheng and Feng Yingying followed the other customers into Walmart.

If this were a different time in his previous life, customers entering Walmart would have felt a fresh and exciting experience. However, with Yongjia Supermarket already setting a high standard, Walmart's impact on customers was not as significant.

Once inside the supermarket, most customers quietly compared prices.

Customers generally had a good sense of the prices of the items they frequently bought, especially the thrifty aunts and uncles who were particularly sensitive to price fluctuations, noticing even the smallest changes.

After a thorough comparison, customers found that some items at Walmart were more expensive than at Yongjia, some were cheaper, and some were the same. Neither supermarket had a clear price advantage.

Seeing this, customers had a clear idea of what to expect.

Most customers still preferred to shop at the familiar Yongjia Supermarket. Habits are powerful. For example, once you get used to a particular brand of phone, you tend to stick with it. Unless a phone from another brand offers significantly better performance at the same price or a scandal makes your current brand unacceptable, most people would continue using the same brand.

Of course, customers aren't as loyal to supermarkets, but when prices are similar, they naturally prefer to shop at their usual supermarket. Only those living closer to the Walmart would consider switching.

Supermarkets are magical places. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, once you're inside, you'll always find something you want, and before you know it, you've made a purchase.

Feng Yingying found herself in this situation. She had only intended to browse, but as she walked around, she couldn't resist the urge to buy this and that, and soon she had become a true shopper.

Here is the translated text:

Deng Yunheng, on the other hand, was here to gather intelligence for his brother and sister-in-law and naturally wouldn't purchase anything from a competitor.

After a round in the supermarket, Feng Yingying's shopping basket was full, and the two of them went to check out.

Deng Yunheng had initially offered to help with the payment, but Feng Yingying insisted on paying herself this time. A few days ago, when they had the seafood porridge, his cousin was also there, and as her best classmate and friend, and being a man, it was understandable for him to pay. The previous liangpi was a very inexpensive item, so it didn't matter who paid.

However, with a basket full of items, it would be inappropriate for him to pay again.

Therefore, Feng Yingying paid for the items herself.

After leaving the supermarket, Deng Yunheng couldn't help but smile, "Feng Junior, with this big bag, how are you going to continue shopping?"

Feng Yingying sighed, "I only intended to browse, but I couldn't resist buying things as I went along. Now, it wouldn't be appropriate to continue shopping, so I can only head home early."

Deng Yunheng responded, "Then let me see you home. Even a beautiful girl like you isn't safe going out alone, especially at night."

Feng Yingying, flattered by the compliment, laughed, "You're joking, Deng Senior. It's not that serious!"

Here is the next line of text for translation, and I'll provide the translation as per your guidelines:

Deng Yunheng said seriously, "Just a while ago, two financial officers from my sister's company were shot dead by robbers right after they withdrew money from the bank. Have you heard about this?"

Feng Yingying shook her head, "My parents only told me to be careful when going out, but they didn't mention these incidents."

Deng Yunheng was surprised, "Really? I thought your parents would know the current security situation and would have given you a more detailed warning."

Feng Yingying blinked, "In the past, my parents were very worried when I went out alone, but they mentioned that the police have caught many robbers and murderers recently, so the security situation has improved a lot. That's why they allowed me to go out alone."

Here is the translated line as requested:

Deng Yunheng nodded, but still advised, "Even with improved security, you still need to be cautious. There are so many crazy people in this era, and the police can't catch them all in a short time.

Some people commit crimes without any logic. Take the Panyu heist last year, for example. Can you imagine that the mastermind behind the robbery of the cash-in-transit van was a wealthy official's son with a net worth of a million?"

"That's right. It was quite the shocking revelation. The young master of a prominent official family, with a fortune at his disposal, orchestrated the entire operation. It's a stark reminder that wealth and status don't always equate to integrity."

Feng Yingying was genuinely surprised. The Panyu heist last year had shocked the nation, and as a local, she naturally knew about it. However, before she started school, the case had not been solved, and her parents didn't update her on the developments after she left.

So, she really didn't know that the mastermind behind the Panyu heist was a wealthy official's son.

Deng Yunheng nodded, "It's true. Several main culprits have been caught, but the mastermind and another key accomplice are still at large, not apprehended."

Feng Yingying was puzzled, "A wealthy official's son, who planned to rob a cash-in-transit van and whose accomplices committed murder, is he crazy?"

Deng Yunheng also couldn't understand, "I think he's crazy too. He came from a good family and was a genuine college graduate. After graduation, he used his father's connections to start a construction company affiliated with the highway bureau. His business was successful, and he made a million in just a few years, a model of success.

Yet, such a person who had everything planned the Panyu heist. If it weren't for the solid evidence, I wouldn't believe it either."

"Feng Junior, I'll take my leave now. Let's get together and have a meal another day."

"Sure, Senior Deng, see you later!"

"See you later!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Deng Yunheng got into the taxi that had been waiting for him and drove off.

Feng Yingying watched the taxi leave, realizing that Senior Deng probably had feelings for her. She wasn't sure how to handle this situation. Although Deng Yunheng had a higher degree of education and was quite outstanding in his manners and conduct, they had only met twice. Moreover, his appearance didn't quite match hers, and she only felt a friendly connection to him, not any romantic interest.

If Deng Yunheng were any other man, Feng Yingying would have definitely refused his offer to see her home and wouldn't have exchanged contact information with him. However, Deng Yunheng was the best classmate and friend of her cousin. As the saying goes, "If you can't respect the monk, respect the Buddha." Given their family connection, she couldn't treat Deng Yunheng like other men. She had to act as if she didn't know his intentions to avoid awkwardness between them.

As for whether they would eventually become a couple, Feng Yingying herself didn't know. She decided to take it one step at a time and let time decide.

...

Nanning.

Fourth floor of Wuyue Plaza.

The world's largest internet cafe had just completed its renovation. According to Deng Shirong's requirements, it was divided into several key areas: a high-end VIP zone, a non-smoking area, a rest area, a gaming area, a dining area, and a sales area.

The high-end VIP zone was a private room specifically designed for VIPs, offering the best privacy, computer configuration, furniture, and environment.

Naturally, it was also the most expensive, accessible only to the cafe's high-end VIP members.

The non-smoking area, as the name suggests, was a no-smoking zone.

The rest area was equipped with sofas, providing a place for tired customers to rest temporarily and for those waiting for their friends or family.

While it might be challenging for a large internet cafe like Wuyue Plaza to be as packed as smaller cafes every day, the larger the scale, the more customers it could attract. When the number of internet users peaked, even the largest cafes could become frequently packed.

The gaming area was dedicated to gaming enthusiasts, who were the primary supporters of internet cafes.

The dining area provided a place for customers to eat temporarily. Allowing customers to eat at their computers could easily make the keyboards greasy and provide a poor experience for the next user.

Thus, Deng Shirong insisted on having a dedicated dining area where customers could eat without bringing food to their computers. Only mineral water and drinks were allowed near the computers.

The sales area, as the name implies, sold various items such as cigarettes, alcohol, drinks, mineral water, instant noodles, eight-treasure porridge, and a variety of fast food and snacks. This was also a significant source of income for the internet cafe.

After touring the cafe, Deng Shirong nodded in satisfaction and said, "Not bad. You can start with a few dozen computers to test the waters. Once the number of users increases, you can gradually add more computers as needed."

Deng Yunhua responded, "I've already had the staff assemble 50 computers. They mentioned that computer components are updated frequently, so it's better not to assemble too many at once to avoid the performance lagging behind the updates."

Deng Shirong said, "That's a good idea, but don't worry too much. We are among the first to open an internet cafe in the country. When our computers become outdated, we can sell them to those who want to enter the business but lack the funds. This will help us recover a significant amount of capital, allowing us to keep our computers ahead of the competition."

Deng Yunhua nodded in agreement and asked, "Dad, what do you think we should name the internet cafe?"

Deng Shirong thought for a moment and said, "Since you are a pioneer in the internet cafe business in China, let's call it 'Pioneer Internet Cafe'!"

Deng Yunhua agreed, "Alright, let's call it 'Pioneer Internet Cafe'!"

After discussing the internet cafe, Deng Shirong reminded him, "You can leave the management of the internet cafe to your staff. Your wife's due date is approaching, so you should be by her side at all times."

Deng Yunhua smiled, "I understand!"

...

A few days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the morning of the thirteenth day of the seventh lunar month, Fan Yuemei's labor finally began.

Deng Yunhua, who had been by her side, immediately took her to the women's and children's hospital. Within half an hour, his mother-in-law Qin Fengzhen and her two younger brothers also rushed over.

Deng Shirong arrived with his children, Xiaodong and Dongzi.

As for Deng Yuntao and his wife, they were not in Nanning. With the entry of international retail giants like Carrefour and Walmart into China, Yongjia Supermarket was under significant pressure, and the couple had more to handle than ever before, becoming very busy.

Standing outside the delivery room, Deng Shirong, who had experienced this many times, remained calm.

Qin Fengzhen, being a mother of three, was also relatively calm.

Only Deng Yunhua, who was about to become a father for the first time, was somewhat restless.

Seeing this, Qin Fengzhen quickly comforted her son-in-law, "Xiaohua, don't be nervous. The doctor said the baby's position is good, so the delivery will go smoothly."

Deng Yunhua replied, "I know, but it's my first time experiencing this, so I'm a bit nervous."

Fan Yuesheng asked, "Brother-in-law, have you thought of a name for the baby?"

"I've discussed it with your sister. If it's a boy, we'll name him Deng Changhai, and if it's a girl, we'll name her Deng Changxiao."

Deng Yunhua then looked at his father and asked, "Dad, what do you think of these names?"

Deng Shirong nodded, "These names are good. Given your level, I doubt you could come up with such names. I bet your wife chose them, right?"

Deng Yunhua chuckled, acknowledging his father's guess.

They waited outside the delivery room for over three hours, and the baby was finally born—a big, healthy boy weighing nearly nine pounds.

With this, Deng Shirong now had four grandsons, one granddaughter, and two grandsons from his daughter's side!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end