Chapter 688: Li Jia's Idea

Inside the Ancient City, a crowd of consumers quickly surged in.

This kind of consumption is irrational.

Ordinary tourists need to look first before consuming when they enter a shop, but these shills can buy without asking the price when they enter a shop.

But the boss was happy,

But they are selling genuine goods at fair prices and making money.

I was going back and forth inside the Ancient City, watching the consumption inside the Ancient City.

I felt very satisfied.

After Li Jia found me,

He said with some worry: "Mr. Zhao, I am a little worried."

"Li Jia, what are you worried about? Speak directly."

"Mr. Zhao, you can use this method to temporarily boost the market inside the Ancient City."

"But relying only on these people to boost the atmosphere is not enough. Moreover, it is not a long‑term approach."

After listening to Li Jia's analysis,

"Li Jia, you're right; this approach is fundamentally not sustainable, it merely stimulates consumption temporarily."

Let the Ancient City prosper.

Our current goal is, before the year ends, to rent out all the shops we hold.

Only this can ease the burden on Zhuang Shi. Because a meeting will be held during the Spring Festival, Zhuang Shi needs to present his report there, and this Ancient City is his pain point.

Solving this problem solves his biggest worry.

"I understand all this, Mr. Zhao, and I want to tell you that we should vigorously use this method to boost the market,"

"We need an audience."

"Therefore, the shills who act, what is their purpose? It is to help the stall owners sell their goods."

"How to sell? First we need a crowd of onlookers; otherwise, who would watch the performance?"

"The current visitor flow in the Ancient City still hasn't reached expectations."

"What I mean is, we currently lack an audience."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

"Li Jia is absolutely right; this woman is not ordinary."

"We can perform the act, but we cannot do it every day,"

"otherwise the financial pressure would be huge, and over time the boss would also know the routine,"

"which would be tantamount to ruining the performance."

"and it would lose its meaning."

"What we need to do is perform for the audience to see,"

"to show the scene of frenzied consumption to others, turning them from rational consumers into blind followers."

"Only then can we revive the entire market."

I looked at Li Jia and said,

"Li Jia, you're right; then how can we attract more crowds to the Ancient City? We already have free tickets."

"All the publicity that should be done has been done."

"Are there any other good methods?"

Li Jia said: "I think there are still two ways we can try."

"First, continue cooperating with tour groups, letting them bring groups over, which will instantly increase out‑of‑town tourists."

"Second, attract local residents,"

"How to attract locals? Mr. Zhao, people selling health supplements give eggs to old men and women, and that draws crowds."

"I think the New Year is coming soon, and everyone will be buying New Year goods."

"We should set up the festive atmosphere in advance."

"Let the Huaihai people come to the Ancient City to visit the New Year market, and come to Huaihai Ancient City to spend."

"Of course we won't let them come for nothing; each day we select ten Huaihai people who consume in the Ancient City and give them a free refund on their New Year purchases."

"This is equivalent to a lottery format."

"Think about it: whether people buy elsewhere or here, if they happen to win a free purchase in the Ancient City,"

"this will create a stirring effect; added to the atmosphere here, even the most rational person won't be able to resist."

"Everyone will come to Huaihai Ancient City to consume."

When I heard Li Jia say this,

"Li Jia, I know you're talented; let's do it this way. You and Yang Tao handle this together. Have everyone who consumes in the Ancient City register their ID number,"

"and conduct a lottery once a day based on the receipts."

"Prize redemption and cash refund will be done on the spot. This matter must be continuously promoted within Huaihai City."

"Okay, Mr. Zhao, I'll take care of this. However, the work with external tour groups is ineffective; they brought groups to the Ancient City last year and all got ripped off."

"Some tour guides, upon hearing that one would go to Huaihai Ancient City to play, would simply hang up the phone.' Li Jia said."

"I'll figure this out. When you work with Yang Tao, you must accommodate her everywhere; this woman is proud and arrogant, you understand.' I arranged with Li Jia."

"I understand; Yang Tao is after all a foreigner, and this is also one of our ways to promote the Ancient City.' Li Jia laughed."

"Very good; make use of everyone, and then they can exert their maximum effect."

"Our undertaking will then succeed.' I praised Li Jia."

"This is all the result of learning from Mr. Zhao.' Li Jia laughed, gave me a wink, and then walked away."

I stared at Li Jia, dazed; the way this woman squints her eyes is very seductive.

I was daydreaming when Shi Yong came over,

"Brother, what are you staring at?"

"Oh, I'm not looking at anything, Shi Yong, what's up?" I quickly averted my gaze.

"I saw everything, who are you looking at?"

"Did you make that woman fall for you? Then why are you hesitating? Go ahead and ask her out,"

"Men and women should be together, talking about feelings and love, that's comfortable." Shi Yong said with a beaming smile.

"Shi Yong, fine, get to the point. I have no leisure to discuss love and romance with you; you go discuss it with that Nurse." I said and tried to leave.

"Brother, I really have something serious." Shi Yong grabbed me.

"Speak the serious matter. No pulling and dragging." I said to Shi Yong.

"I want Xiao Qi to come over and stay for two days..." Shi Yong hadn't finished speaking,

I got impatient first,

"Shi Yong, can we get to the serious business? You still have the mood to flirt with the little girl; how is the shop management going now? They haven't broken any rules; haven't you noticed."

"Brother, seeing how agitated you are. Fine, I won't bring that up. I want to tell you something,

Do you still remember someone? I think he could help our current work." Shi Yong hurriedly said.

"Who, who would help our current matter?" I asked, looking at Shi Yong.

"Think carefully. There was a person who used to have a great relationship with us, but he quit, and he's still very capable.

Now the work he does is of great help to us." Shi Yong circled around the point.

"Speak quickly, let it out, or I'll leave." I said angrily.

"Brother, you're always like this; how can such a personality improve, become mature? Brother, in the past you always criticized me, making me keep my composure.

Why can't you keep your temper now?"

"Shi Yong, I have many things to attend to. Speak quickly, who is it? If you don't say, forget it." I said and headed toward Ancient City.

I want to see how Shi Jinhe's recent restoration of some antique‑style buildings turned out.

Shi Yong shouted at this moment, "Brother, I'm talking about Qian Director, the Qian Director of Qi He Kuang, didn't you forget? He used to be your capable assistant."

Later he left Da Heng Group,

After our Da Heng Group got into trouble, I had contacted him.

This guy has been running a tourism business.

I heard his travel agency is booming.

Today I suddenly thought of him.

This person will definitely help us."

Shi Yong's words made me halt in my tracks.

Indeed, Qian Director, it's been many years since we last contacted him.

Back then, at Da Heng Group, because of a power‑allocation dispute, he left.

I gave him a compensation sum, and he invested in the travel agency business; these years, tourism has been a hot business.

And he's done extremely well in this field.

Last year when Da Heng Group got into trouble, I had Shi Yong contact him, hoping to ask for help.

But he outright refused. Looks like I'll have to ask him personally.