Reborn: I'll Never Fail My Childhood Sweetheart Again

Chapter 610 - 226: The Unexpected Lesson from the Electric Scooter

Shangri-La Hotel, one of Jianglan’s well-known star-rated hotels.

The Su father and son sat with Qin Daqing in a private room.

Today, they were to meet a guest—Zhao Zhengteng.

Also known as Zhao Mingxuan’s father.

Su Zelin had arranged the meeting, aiming to let the two elders get acquainted. It would make opening franchise stores easier, not to mention having Zhao Zhengteng’s help; at least things like fire safety approvals would be much simpler to pass.

The scoundrel leisurely steeps tea as they are about to meet the local official. Su Jianjun is also quite relaxed, though Qin Daqing appears a bit tense.

Before this, he was merely a small business owner and had never dined with someone of this caliber before, prompting him to buy a new suit for the occasion.

As the agreed time approached, the door was pushed open. Besides the welcoming usher, there was also a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair following behind; it was no one other than Zhao Zhengteng.

All three of them stood up simultaneously.

Su Zelin performed the introductions between the parties.

"Mr. Su, I have long admired you! Truly, like father, like son!"

Zhao Zhengteng laughed heartily while shaking his hand.

It wasn’t mere flattery; Su Jianjun indeed had some repute in Jianglan.

Although his assets were not on par with those of a tycoon like Huang Hongbo, Old Su had been in business for quite some time. Coupled with his wide social circle and good relationships, he was quite famous in the small city. Several leaders he had practiced driving with alongside Su Zelin all knew him too.

Su Jianjun humbly responded, "Mayor Zhao, you flatter me. I am just a simple citizen, but you, as the parent official of our Jianglan, are renowned, an illustrious name!"

Both parties engaged in mutual praise, then Qin Daqing exchanged a few polite words with Zhao Zhengteng. However, Qin Dad was not as open as the father-son duo and appeared a bit reserved.

Zhao Zhengteng’s focus was not on him, mainly on the Su family father and son.

He made time for this meal primarily because of Su Zelin.

The Su family was set to do big business in Jianglan, and he could certainly offer some assistance.

Moreover, Su Zelin’s connections in the provincial capital could be quite helpful to him.

Furthermore, this person might have a promising future, so Zhao Zhengteng felt he had to give him face; otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone out of his way to get close to the scoundrel after class.

During the meal, Su Zelin intended to open a bottle of Maotai, and Zhao Zhengteng did not refuse.

In Xia Country’s social culture, alcohol is always an indispensable part.

Zhao Zhengteng had his designated driver, whereas the Su father and son and Qin Daqing could simply take a taxi home.

As rounds of drinks ensued, both parties gradually became well-acquainted, the atmosphere grew lively, and the conversation flowed freely.

Seeing the timing was about right, Su Zelin moved to the main topic: "Mayor Zhao, we talked about this the day before yesterday. My dad and Uncle Qin plan to open a New Era franchise in Jianglan. Our company has stringent approval processes; the scale must not be small, and there must be guaranteed foot traffic. Does Mayor Zhao have any good recommendations?"

"Oh, you asked the right person!"

Zhao Zhengteng laughed, "The shopfront at 8 Construction Road, at Sunrise Mall, is under the government’s control. The lease expires after the New Year, and the mall owner thinks the rent is too high and intends to relocate. But the space is rather large, over 600 square meters!"

As soon as he said this, Su Zelin’s eyes lit up.

The Sunrise Mall is located in one of the city’s bustling neighborhoods, with a sizable area and a corner location that fully satisfies the approval requirements.

Importantly, this place has remained prosperous in Jianglan. Even before Su Zelin’s rebirth, it was one of the most popular locations in the city center.

Unlike some places that are busy now but will decline due to various reasons in the future.

After Sunrise Mall, a supermarket opened here, though it seems now to be taken over by us.

Su Zelin knew of several suitable locations, but none as perfect as Sunrise Mall.

"No problem, the bigger, the better! We fear it being too small!"

The scoundrel nodded repeatedly.

"The rent there is a bit pricey, but the foot traffic is certainly guaranteed; you all should be aware of that."

赵Zhengteng paused: "If you’re willing to sign a longer lease, I can help negotiate some discounts!"

Su Zelin was delighted upon hearing this; he was just considering how to negotiate a lease for ten or eight years, and the other party brought it up proactively.

However, many government units at the time were quite naive. First, they didn’t realize rental prices would skyrocket in later years; secondly, they found lengthy contracts troublesome, so there were indeed many long-term leases being signed, some even demanded by the units themselves.

"No worries, Mayor Zhao, my dad and Uncle Qin aim to develop big and for the long haul; signing a ten-year lease is no problem, even a higher deposit works!"

Su Zelin assured him with a pat on the chest.

Before heading out, Su Jianjun and Qin Daqing had given him the negotiation authority, so the scoundrel could make decisions freely.

There are things Zhao Zhengteng can assist with, but we shouldn’t make it too difficult for him; cooperating appropriately makes it easier for him to operate, which benefits everyone.

For instance, there might be other competitors, but if their offered deposit is lower, Zhao Zhengteng can use it as a reason to reject them.

Originally, the storefront was going to be re-tendered, but the rent was already high; even if tendered, the price may not increase much, so Zhao Zhengteng simply gave Su Zelin this favor.

Continuing the discussion on other matters, they enjoyed the meal until its conclusion. Learning that the Su father and son, along with Qin Daqing, hadn’t driven over, Zhao Zhengteng even offered to have his driver take them home since the car had exactly three vacant seats.

As soon as Qin Daqing entered the living room, Liu Sufen asked, "How did it go? Did you see Deputy Zhao?"