Everyone's been reborn, so who would bother finding a wife on their own?

Chapter 230 The Crisis of the Gourmet Alliance

On Monday, Song Huan walked into the classroom with her left hand bandaged and in a sling around her neck.

There are 42 days left until the college entrance examination.

Zhao Qihang was the first to see him and jumped up from his seat.

"Holy crap, the great hero Yang Guo is back!"

Song Huan ignored him and went to her seat.

Xiao Yunqing had already arranged the textbooks for him, placed the pencil case on his right, and unscrewed the cap on Song Huan's water cup.

He glanced at her, but she was engrossed in writing her test paper and didn't look at him.

Song Huan picked up the water glass with the cap unscrewed and took a sip.

During the long break, the classroom is a mess.

Some people are slumped over their desks, some are munching on bread, and some are standing in the hallway, lost in thought.

The boys in the back row couldn't stay still, so Zhao Qihang took a basketball out of the drawer and bounced it twice on the ground.

Chen Xu stood up, and several people formed a circle around him.

Song Huan walked over, took the ball with her right hand, and spun it around in her hand.

"Song Huan, you can fight with only one hand?"

Zhao Qihang glanced at him sideways.

Song Huan didn't say anything, dribbled the ball twice, and suddenly passed it between Chen Xu's legs, nutmegging him.

Chen Xu was stunned for a moment, then looked down at the ball, which was already in Song Huan's right hand.

He dribbled past his opponent, took three steps to the basket, and slammed a dunk into thin air.

His right hand hung in the air, his fingers spread out, as if grasping something.

The bandage swayed slightly upon landing.

"Awesome! Awesome!"

"So cool!"

The boys watching applauded.

Some people whistled, some banged on the table, and some imitated his actions, jumping up and down with their right hands raised.

In this oppressive learning atmosphere, this may be the only way to release stress.

In a corner of the classroom, a few boys were stacking meat into a mountain.

Zhao Qihang leaned against the wall. Chen Xu pushed him, and he pushed back. The group jostled each other, bumping into each other and occasionally letting out seductive moans.

Someone got jostled and yelled "Ah~".

The sound bounced around the classroom several times, and Zhao Qihang laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

Sitting in her seat, Xiao Yunqing looked at the group of boys and couldn't help but turn to Zhou Shan and ask, "Zhou Shan, what do you think they're doing?"

Zhou Shan looked at the group of boys bumping into each other and shook her head.

"I don't know, maybe this is what happiness is for boys."

The commotion over there has started again.

"Song Huan, one more!"

"One-handed dunk! One more!"

"Watch closely!" Song Huan took the ball, about to play it again.

Xiao Yunqing stood up, her voice coming from the front, sharp and bright.

"Song Huan! Get back here! You only have one hand left, what are you still playing for?"

The classroom fell silent for a second.

The boys looked at each other, but no one dared to say a word.

Song Huan tossed the ball to Zhao Qihang, waved to everyone, and walked back.

Xiao Yunqing watched him sit down and reached out to straighten the crooked bandages for him.

"Can't you just shut up for a bit? Your hand isn't even healed yet."

Song Huan nodded, "It won't happen again next time."

Xiao Yunqing glared at him. "You said the same thing last time."

Song Huan fell silent.

Zhou Shan turned around from the front row, holding a folder in her hand, and placed it on Song Huan's desk.

"At No. 12 Middle School, some businesses are no longer willing to pay franchise fees."

Song Huan was stunned for a moment.

Although I was mentally prepared, I didn't expect it to come so quickly.

Xiao Yunqing also spoke up, "It's the same with No. 1 Middle School and No. 9 Elementary School. Those merchants know you'll be graduating soon after the college entrance exam, and they're all incredibly shrewd."

Song Huan nodded without saying anything.

He leaned back in his chair, looking out the window.

The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the wind blew in through the window, making his bangs flutter.

……

The first to run into problems was the "Jiaotou Bawang" fried chicken shop.

The boss's surname is Zhou. He is in his forties, fat, and his eyes squint into slits when he smiles.

He was among the first merchants to join the alliance and one of the ten to sign an exclusive agreement.

Song Huan stood in front of the counter and placed the contract on the table.

Boss Zhou took an envelope out of the drawer, placed it on the table, and didn't push it over.

He leaned back in his chair, looked at Song Huan, and tapped his fingers twice on the table.

"Xiao Song, who will manage this league after you graduate?"

Song Huan paused for a moment, then said, "Don't worry, I'll arrange for someone to handle this matter."

Boss Zhou nodded, then shook his head.

"We don't trust anyone but you. Nobody can hold the line."

Song Huan didn't say anything, and Boss Zhou pushed the envelope over. This month's franchise fee had been paid.

But he looked at Song Huan and added a sentence.

"Let's talk about it next month."

As Song Huan walked down the street, a cold wind blew into her collar, causing her to shrink her neck.

He recalled Boss Zhou's thoughts, which sank to the bottom like a stone thrown into water.

[If this child leaves, this alliance will fall apart sooner or later. Why should I continue paying this money?]

Song Huan frowned but didn't turn around.

"The head-to-head king" is a trend indicator.

Once this store loosened its grip, other businesses also started to take a wait-and-see approach.

When Song Huan went to collect franchise fees, the bosses were no longer as accommodating as before.

Some people asked, "Who will take care of you after you graduate?", some asked, "Is the person who will replace you capable?", and some simply said, "Let's see."

Within a week, three stores made it clear that they would not renew their contracts.

Song Huan sat at home with a list of businesses spread out in front of her, three names crossed out in red pen.

He stared at the three red crosses as if they were three mountains.

Meanwhile, imitators of the Food Alliance emerged.

Zhang Wei, a senior high school student from the neighboring No. 2 High School, copied the model of the Food Alliance and created a "No. 2 High School Connect".

He's even more ruthless than Song Huan; his franchise fee is only half of Song Huan's, and he demands even lower discounts from merchants.

When the news reached Song Huan's ears, he was having lunch.

Xiao Yunqing sat down with a plate in her hand and lowered her voice, "Have you heard? Zhang Wei from No. 2 Middle School has set up a 'No. 2 Middle School deal.' He's not only taken over all the shops near No. 2 Middle School, but he's also signed contracts for eight shops on the street opposite our No. 1 Middle School."

Song Huan took a bite of rice. "Eight families?"

"Yes, eight schools. And he even said he'd continue poaching students from No. 1 Middle School."

Xiao Yunqing lowered her voice even further, "He also said that once you graduate, No. 1 High School will be his domain."

Song Huan didn't say anything.

He recalled a documentary he had seen in a previous life, which was about the decline of campus entrepreneurship projects.

Ninety percent of projects die within a year of the founder graduating.

It's not that the business model is flawed; it's that the founder left, and the soul of the business was lost.

He finished eating the rice in his bowl and stood up.

"understood."

After evening self-study, the two were walking home.

The streetlights were on, casting a dim yellow light on the road.

Xiao Yunqing was still complaining about those merchants.

"You're a traitor. You led them to make money, and they turned against you the moment you saw you were about to graduate."

She became increasingly angry as she spoke, and her pace quickened.

"How much money did that Boss Zhou make? How much was the franchise fee? He earns more than that in a month. And that Zhang Wei, he's a copycat, he copies everything you do."

Before she could finish speaking, a black Mercedes drove up from the street corner and stopped in front of the two of them.

The car lights were on, illuminating the road surface in a white light.

The car door opened, and a middle-aged man in a suit stepped out. His hair was neatly combed, his leather shoes were shiny, and he was holding a business card holder in his hand.

He walked up to Song Huan, smiled, and handed her a business card.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Zhang Cheng, and I am the chairman of Juxian Catering."

He paused for a moment, looking Song Huan up and down.

"This must be Song Huan, the founder of the Food Alliance, right?"

Xiao Yunqing looked at Song Huan.

Song Huan showed no expression as she took the business card and glanced at it.

The business card was embossed in gold, with the words "Juxian Catering Group" printed on it, followed by a list of titles.

He looked up at Zhang Cheng.

"What does Chairman Zhang want with me?"

Zhang Cheng laughed, but the laugh was brief, as if he hadn't laughed at all.

"Song, I won't beat around the bush. I'm here to acquire your food alliance. The three schools—No. 1 Middle School, No. 12 Middle School, and No. 9 Elementary School—I want them all."

Xiao Yunqing's face flushed red instantly. "Why should I? This was built with Song Huan's hard work. Why should I sell it to you?"

Zhang Cheng glanced at her, then looked at Song Huan.

"Song, you know perfectly well how long this alliance can last after you graduate."

Song Huan didn't say anything.

Zhang Cheng continued, "Why are those businesses hesitant? Because you're not here. They trust you, not others. If you leave, they won't renew their contracts. In the end, all you'll have left is a worthless piece of paper."

Xiao Yunqing's face paled slightly as she turned to look at Song Huan.

Song Huan's face remained expressionless.

Zhang Cheng took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a drag, and the smoke dispersed under the streetlight.

"Song, please consider this. The price I'm offering won't leave you at a loss. And..."

He flicked his cigarette ash, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

"If you don't sell, our company doesn't mind forming a similar food alliance. Lower prices, higher subsidies. Believe me, your merchants will run away faster than rabbits!"

Three people were standing under the streetlights.

Zhang Cheng leaned against the car door, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Xiao Yunqing clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Song Huan flipped the business card over, looked at the back, and then flipped it back over.

He put the business card in his pocket and looked up.

"I'll think about it."

Zhang Cheng laughed, threw the cigarette butt on the ground, and stubbed it out with the sole of his shoe.

"Then you'd better think about it quickly."

He opened the car door, got in, and rolled down the window. "Song, a smart person wouldn't turn down money."

The car window rolled up, and the black Mercedes slowly drove away, its taillights fading into the distance in the night.

Xiao Yunqing stood there, trembling with anger, "Who does he think he is! What gives him the right?"

Song Huan grabbed her sleeve. "Let's go."

Xiao Yunqing looked at him. "You're not really going to sell yourself, are you?"

Song Huan didn't answer and kept walking.

The streetlight cast a long shadow on the ground.

Xiao Yunqing followed him and walked beside him.

Neither of them spoke; a cool breeze blew by.