Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

After Xu Hongdou left, the room became completely quiet. Chen Nanxing stood there in a daze for a while, her mind a mess, unsure whether Xu Hongdou had believed her or not. After a whole morning of commotion, sleepiness washed over her again, so she kicked off her slippers, climbed back into bed, pulled the covers over her head, and prepared to take a nap.

Not long after Chen Nanxing fell asleep, a loud, slightly smug shout suddenly erupted in the courtyard:

"Brothers and sisters! Come out and greet me quickly! I, Hu Hansan, have returned!"

It was Hu Youyu's voice, full of energy and with a drawn-out tone, clearly indicating that he had recovered well after being discharged from the hospital.

The warm welcome Hu Youyu had anticipated did not materialize. Nana had already gone to do volunteer work, Xu Hongdou had gone out to find Xie Zhiyuan, and Lin Bufan, Chen Nanxing, and Sang Biao were still sleeping. Therefore, all that greeted him was a text message from Da Mai, a socially awkward person!

"Congratulations on your discharge from the hospital, Teacher Hu! [smiley face]"

Hu Youyu looked at the messages on his phone and shrugged helplessly: "Well, it seems only DaMai is thinking about me!"

Ma Qiushan, standing to the side, simply smiled and said nothing more. He walked to the pavilion where he often meditated, crossed his legs, and resumed his posture of sitting with his eyes closed, seemingly detached from worldly affairs.

Seeing this, Hu Youyu could only awkwardly touch his nose and then return to his room.

Time passed quietly, the sun rose higher, and just before noon, the door to room number 5 creaked open.

Lin Bufan yawned, shuffling out in his slippers, his hair a little messy, his face still showing the languor of someone who had just woken up. Almost simultaneously, the door to room number 6 opened, and Chen Nanxing rubbed his eyes as he walked out. The two exchanged a glance in the hallway; Lin Bufan wore a mocking expression, while Chen Nanxing glared fiercely at him.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Ma Qiushan, who was sitting on a cushion in the pavilion, slowly opened his eyes, ending his meditation. He stood up, a warm smile on his face, and greeted the two: "President Lin, Nanxing, Chafou?"

Lin Bufan glanced at Chen Nanxing, his eyes asking a question. Chen Nanxing pursed his lips: "Whatever."

Lin Bufan keenly sensed something unusual in Ma Qiushan's polite and solemn invitation; it seemed that this old Ma was probably planning to make his move on him!

Although he guessed that Ma Qiushan had something in mind, Lin Bufan did not refuse his invitation and readily agreed!

"Can!"

The three moved to the tea table where Ma Qiushan usually sat. Ma Qiushan skillfully began to warm the teapot and rinse the tea, his movements fluid and graceful, with a deliberate show of focus. As he fiddled with the tea set, he asked, "President Lin, Nanxing, what would you like to drink? I have Pu'er, Longjing, and some rock tea sent by friends."

Lin Bufan casually sat down in the rattan chair, his gaze sweeping over the antique tea canisters, and blurted out, "Do you have iced black tea? Or plum green tea would be fine too."

Ma Qiushan paused almost imperceptibly as he poured water, his smile faltering slightly. He probably hadn't expected such a down-to-earth option to emerge within the carefully crafted atmosphere of his tea ceremony.

Chen Nanxing, unable to bear watching any longer, reached out and pinched Lin Bufan's waist, then smiled apologetically at Ma Qiushan: "Master Ma, don't mind him. Just brew whatever you like. Lin Bufan and I aren't picky. Your tea will definitely taste good."

Under Chen Nanxing's threatening gaze, Lin Bufan had no choice but to nod and say nothing more!

Ma Qiushan finally caught his breath and shook his head with a smile: "President Lin is always so...unique."

Ma Qiushan finally chose a Pu'er tea and began to brew it steadily. Soon, the aroma of the tea rose and filled a corner of the courtyard.

He placed two cups of clear tea in front of Lin Bufan and Chen Nanxing respectively. Ma Qiushan also picked up a cup, took a sip, closed his eyes, and seemed to be savoring the aftertaste.

After Lin Bufan and Chen Nanxing each took a bite, Ma Qiushan immediately began laying the groundwork for what he was about to say.

"President Lin, Nanxing, I'd like to ask you both a question since I have some free time today."

Where do you think young people usually meet for blind dates these days?

Chen Nanxing blinked, feeling the question was a bit abrupt, but quickly replied, "A coffee shop, or one of those nice dessert shops or restaurants. What's wrong, Mr. Ma?"

Ma Qiushan nodded and then asked, "What if we're talking about work, about serious matters?"

"If there are only a few people, we'll go to a coffee shop. If there are a lot of people, we'll probably find a restaurant with private rooms."

"So, if it's just casual chatting or starting your own business, where do you usually go?"

Chen Nanxing was a little confused by the question and frowned: "Mr. Ma, is this some kind of riddle? It seems like all the answers are pretty much the same... It's still the coffee shop!"

Ma Qiushan's face revealed an "I knew it" expression. He leaned forward slightly, his tone tinged with confusion, yet also serving as a prelude: "Look, it's still a coffee shop. I've always wondered why no one goes to teahouses. Tea is excellent too! In China, the number of tea drinkers should be much larger since ancient times. In terms of heritage, culture, and health, how is tea inferior to coffee?"

Chen Nanxing was stumped by the question and nodded subconsciously: "Yeah...why?" She also began to think about it.

At this moment, Lin Bufan, who had been lazily leaning back in his rattan chair as if lost in thought, decided he wasn't going to listen to Ma Qiushan's roundabout talk any longer and said directly, "Old Ma, you've been building up for so long, and you've gone through a lot of roundabouts. Alright, stop putting on a stand-up comedy routine. Do you really think we're your straight men?"

When Lin Bufan pointed out his mistake, Ma Qiushan's relaxed facade faded slightly, revealing a hint of embarrassment, but his eyes brightened even more. He shook his head with a wry smile: "Oh dear, Mr. Lin, your insight... I... yes, I really... wasn't just asking casually."

Ma Qiushan took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and his expression became serious: "President Lin, Nanxing, to be honest, I've been sitting here in this courtyard for over a year, seemingly at ease, but my mind... just can't settle down. Those entrepreneurial ideas from before, the successful ones, the failed ones, the ones I didn't have time to do, keep popping up from time to time."

I've tried clearing my mind, even writing these dots on rice paper with a brush and then burning them... but there's only one dot; it's like it's taken root, I can't shake it off, and the more I think about it, the clearer it becomes, the more I ponder the details, the richer it becomes.

Chen Nanxing's interest was piqued, and he asked curiously, "What idea?"

Lin Bufan smacked Chen Nanxing on the head in an annoyed tone: "Are you stupid? Old Ma has been talking about tea, tea, tea for ages, do you still need to ask?"

Uh--

It seems there's really no need to ask!

After Lin Bufan reminded him, Chen Nanxing realized that his question was a bit unnecessary, but soon his attention was no longer on that: "You hit my head just now, didn't you?"

Faced with Chen Nanxing's aggressive approach, Lin Bufan did not choose to run away, but instead confronted him head-on: "I didn't hit him, I just slapped him!"

"What right did you have to hit me on the head?"

"Because the question you asked was stupid, I'm just reminding you. Also, I'm patting, not hitting!"

"Just because I asked a stupid question, you're going to hit me? I haven't hit you every time you've done something stupid!"

"Who said you didn't hit me? You just pinched me! And I patted you, I didn't hit you!"

"You hit a woman, are you even a man?"

"Don't you know whether I'm a man or not? And I'll emphasize again, I patted, I didn't hit!"

"I don't care, you're hitting a woman!"

……

Seeing that the two were getting more and more outrageous and were about to come to blows, Ma Qiushan quickly steered the conversation back on track: "Gentlemen, please calm down and let's talk about serious matters first!"

My entrepreneurial direction is indeed related to tea, but not the old-fashioned, stagnant teahouse. Instead, it's a tea space suitable for young people to relax, socialize, and even work.

We can't just stick to traditional pure tea. We need to scientifically categorize and include non-pure tea beverages with a tea base that cater to the tastes and needs of young people, such as creative fruit teas, cold brew teas, and tea lattes, to form a clear and layered product matrix.

Chen Nanxing astutely grasped the key point. After glaring at Lin Bufan, he immediately resumed his role as Ma Qiushan's straight man: "Master Ma, are you trying to exaggerate the concept of tea?"

"That's right! We will never set up barriers or pretend to be highbrow! If Chinese tea culture is to become younger and more vibrant, it can't just stay in old teahouses. It needs to permeate every corner of young people's lives—if you have a need, it's readily available; if you're not interested, it can still subtly influence you through a good environment and products, so that when you have a need in this area, you'll immediately think of it."

Lin Bufan remembered that in the original drama, Ma Qiushan's second business venture was quite successful, so he didn't mind lending a hand: "So, Lao Ma, you want to create... a tea shop brand suitable for casual socializing?"

“Yes!” Ma Qiushan nodded vigorously: “Coffee is fine, why not tea? I’ve done some research, and there are indeed some new-style tea shops targeting young people on the market now, but they either have too many different types of drinks, like milk tea shops, or they’re still aloof and not friendly enough. The target audience isn’t clear enough, and the experience isn’t pure enough. There’s still a lot of room in the market to develop, optimize, and improve!”

Lin Bufan gestured for Ma Qiushan to continue: "Tell me about it."

Ma Qiushan seemed to have finally opened up, speaking slightly faster but clearly: "I usually like tea and know a little about Chinese tea culture. But to be honest, there are very few young people nowadays, especially in cities, who truly understand tea and know how to brew it."

At this point, it is even more necessary for those of us who are knowledgeable to select what constitutes good tea for them and present it in a way that they can accept.

Our goal is to make tea, like coffee, a lifestyle choice. The environment should be comfortable and relaxing, the products diverse and delicious, and the prices reasonable. Here, you can quietly read or write alone, chat with friends to pass the time, or even hold a small meeting or discuss business. It's more than just a cup of tea; it's a third space that caters to the leisure and social needs of young people.

Chen Nanxing nodded repeatedly, "Sounds good, Mr. Ma! This positioning is very clear, and it seems to have market potential!"

Ma Qiushan's smile widened upon receiving confirmation, but his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Lin Bufan. After all that talk and buildup, they still hadn't figured out the investor's intentions—the most crucial point.

Lin Bufan sipped his tea slowly, his face expressionless. Only after Ma Qiushan finished speaking did he put down his teacup and ask, "Old Ma, the idea sounds quite plausible. But in terms of execution, how do you plan to do it? For example, where will the first store be located? How will the product development team be assembled? How will the supply chain be secured? How much start-up capital will be needed? And how will the return on investment and profit model be planned?"

These questions were all insightful and incisive, demonstrating the professionalism and sharpness of an investor reviewing a project.

Ma Qiushan was clearly prepared. He took out a thick, hardcover notebook from his cloth bag and turned to a marked page: "Good question, Mr. Lin. I've already thought about these things. The first store must be opened in a first-tier city, like Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen."

In terms of products, I have some knowledge of them myself, but we still need to recruit professional R&D personnel to innovate by combining the tastes of modern young people with traditional tea-drinking techniques.

For the supply chain, you can first conduct on-site inspections in major tea-producing areas, establish direct sourcing or cooperate with reliable suppliers to ensure quality and cost.

As for the start-up capital…

Ma Qiushan paused, gave a number, and then looked at Lin Bufan: "A preliminary estimate, including the rent, decoration, equipment, initial raw materials, staff wages, and initial marketing for the first store, will be around this amount."

The primary profit model is in-store sales. If the model proves successful, franchising or brand licensing can be considered, but only after establishing a strong reputation and a profitable model for each store.

Lin Bufan listened, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of the rattan chair, remaining noncommittal.

Ma Qiushan felt a little apprehensive and added, "President Lin, I know that having an idea alone is not enough. If you are interested, I can produce a more detailed business plan within a week, including market analysis, competitor research, financial forecasting models, and so on."

It was only then that Chen Nanxing realized that Ma Qiushan had come to Lin Bufan to ask for investment, so he immediately shut up and said no more!

Lin Bufan picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and lingered for a moment on Ma Qiushan's face, which was filled with tension and anticipation, before slowly speaking:

"Old Ma, your idea sounds interesting. When it comes to investing... money itself isn't the problem."

Ma Qiushan's eyes lit up, and he was about to speak when Lin Bufan changed the subject:

"But Lao Ma, let me ask you this: how much of this project are you planning to contribute yourself?"

Ma Qiushan's smile froze instantly. He rubbed his hands awkwardly and chuckled dryly, "President Lin, well... to be honest, I failed in my previous business venture and lost all my savings. Now... I really don't have any savings left."

Ma Qiushan paused, observing Lin Bufan's expression, his tone carrying a hint of flattery and probing: "This amount of money is nothing to you, isn't it? Look at the other day, you invested so much money in that General Manager Zhou without even blinking. My project's start-up capital is much less than that."

Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan finally understood why Ma Qiushan had been so eager to approach him—it turned out he had seen that Lin Bufan had invested in Zhou Xun!