Chapter 38 The Ones Who Truly Understand the World of Anime Are Those Who Have Been Fans the Longest

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

“Are you two trying to wear me out? Is your stamina really that bad?”

Chen Luo, panting heavily, looked at the two girls, making Liu Hua lower her head in embarrassment while Hongye gave him an apologetic glance.

“Sorry, Young Master Luo, I’ll definitely work on my endurance and stamina.”

Wait, isn’t this conversation a little questionable? What are you even talking about!

“Oh my, this guy’s got quite an appetite—neither of them can keep up with him?”

“Darling, maybe you should ask him for some tips on training. You haven’t been up to much lately.”

“Hey, handsome, want to add me to the mix? Would three be enough for you?”

Huh? Why is everyone around here paired up, cuddling and whispering while pointing at me?

Chen Luo started to sense something was off. He turned and saw a pink sign with two English words standing out so conspicuously.

“Oh no! How did I end up bringing them here? No wonder people were saying those things!”

“We need to get inside—wait, not here, into the mall!”

Not daring to linger, Chen Luo grabbed the two girls and made a hasty retreat.

“Well, well, young people these days really know how to have fun. Are we about to witness another round in the storage room?”

“Heading into the mall for round two? Such youthful energy. Ah, to be young again.”

“This exciting? Let’s try it too, darling—let’s go.”

…

Second floor of the mall, at Fenghua Tea House.

“All right, you two, can we get down to business now? This whole walk was so embarrassing!”

Chen Luo covered his face in exasperation, unable to imagine how this scene would be twisted and spread on the school forum.

Come on, I’m all about pure love! I only have Wen Wan in my heart, so how did I become the campus playboy?

Liu Hua kept her head down, unable to hide the smile at the corners of her lips. She realized a bit belatedly that everyone had misunderstood and thought she and Chen Luo had gotten a room together, but she couldn’t help but secretly rejoice.

Hehe, someone thinks I’m Chen Luo’s girlfriend. Hehe, so happy.

Hongye, on the other hand, was unfazed. After all, she had been handling business alongside Wen Wan for years—her composure was more than up to the task.

At this moment, Chen Luo’s gaze fell on two storefronts across from the tea house, each bearing a “For Lease” sign.

Noticing his interest, Hongye quickly deduced that he was searching for a suitable shop in this small mall. She swept her eyes over the location and size of the two options.

As Wen Wan’s advisor and secretary, giving counsel on shop selection was a trivial matter for her.

“Young Master Luo, I recommend the first shop.”

“This one sits at the midpoint of the mall’s main corridor, which means better foot traffic, and there aren’t other beverage shops nearby, so competition is minimal.”

“The second shop, on the other hand, is at the far end of the mall, a poor location. Plus, just across the wall outside are two coffee shops, making competition stiff.”

After listening to Hongye’s analysis, Chen Luo nodded and began weighing the pros and cons of both storefronts. The two of them grew fully absorbed in their discussion, their demeanor entirely businesslike.

Out of habit, Hongye leaned in closer to Chen Luo, a reflex from years of collaborating closely with Wen Wan. The gap between them grew so small it was nearly imperceptible.

But to Liu Hua, the scene looked entirely different.

Old woman! And you said you had no designs on my Luo! Using work as a pretext to cozy up to him!

You touched him! You touched his shoulder!

Luo’s shoulders are strong and muscular—feels wonderful to the touch! This old woman must have noticed his build and is just taking advantage!

You’re only after my Luo’s body, you hussy!

No way! I can’t just let this old woman grope my Luo—time to do something.

Oh, right, aren’t we opening an anime-themed tea shop?

Exactly! I’m Luo’s official business partner! Shouldn’t he be discussing the location with me first?

“Ahem! Luo, come here and look at this floor plan before you pick a shop.”

Sitting across from him, Liu Hua waved him over and pulled a set of blueprints from her backpack.

Seeing the plans, Chen Luo didn’t suspect a thing and walked over. As soon as he sat down, Liu Hua pointed at the shop at the far end.

“Luo, according to Assistant Hongye, that’s the usual choice for a tea shop. But you’re overlooking our target audience.”

Hongye was puzzled. What was this girl saying? Isn’t the customer base for a tea shop always the same?

Hmph! Old woman, you’re so out of touch with us! Do you even know what ‘anime culture’ means? Amateur.

“Go on, Liu Hua,” Chen Luo said, his eyes growing serious. The aura he’d developed in a past life navigating the business world emerged without him realizing it.

In an instant, he shifted from a sunny, naïve student to a steady, mature businessman—a transformation that left Liu Hua a little uneasy.

Hongye, watching, couldn’t help but think: No wonder President Wen admires him. So young, yet already exuding such presence—he’s a match for those old foxes who’ve spent decades in business.

By all accounts, Chen Luo had never operated a business or received any formal training up to now.

What would you call this? A born entrepreneur.

“Lost in thought? Liu Hua, go ahead.”

“Oh, right.” Snapping out of her daze, Liu Hua began analyzing the anime fan demographic.

She highlighted three factors that would attract their target audience.

First, anime-themed tea shops aren’t afraid of poor locations or competition. Their appeal lies in their unique, rotating monthly anime themes, which themselves offer a competitive edge.

Second, most anime fans—otaku—tend to be introverted or even socially anxious, often worried about revealing their hobbies in public.

Thus, a secluded corner location would actually give them a sense of security.

Lastly, the shop at the mall’s end opens onto an empty space unrelated to other stores—an ideal spot to host small-scale anime conventions and regular events to draw crowds.

Listening to Liu Hua, Hongye secretly nodded in approval. This girl truly understood the psychology of anime fans and knew how to make full use of every inch of the shop.

Chen Luo had chosen the right partner. When it came to understanding and targeting niche restaurant markets, Hongye herself couldn’t match this insight.

Truly, it takes a veteran fan to know their own kind.

It seemed this anime tea shop could really work.

With a professional’s eye, Hongye judged that success was highly likely.

“All right, I agree. I’ll call the leasing agent right now.”

Once the preliminary plan was set, Chen Luo moved immediately—a good habit honed in his previous life.

He reached the agent, arranged to meet that evening in the same tea shop to discuss the lease, and felt that he had finally taken the first step.

“Young Master Luo, the mall’s owner is someone President Wen knows. I have their contact information—should I reach out?”

Anyone in Hongye’s contact list was someone Wen Wan had deliberately cultivated connections with—at a minimum, one of Hangzhou’s top ten magnates.

“No need. This is a simple matter. No need to involve Wen Wan. I’ll handle it myself. Now, let’s iron out the rest of the details.”

The three of them began to discuss every aspect of the plan, while across the tea shop, the manager slipped into a corner and made a call.

“Young Master Liu Feng, there’s a student named Chen Luo who wants to lease the shop at the end of the mall for a tea house. Is this the person you told me to keep an eye on?”