Chapter 374

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Quan Cong brought Chen Yi to the terminal of Route 375, which claims to be the most crowded cross-river line in Jiangning. Then he pointed at the bus ahead packed full of people and said, "I've already arranged everything. You get on the empty bus at the depot first, then after it fills up with people, you just give up your seat."

"Give up my seat? I thought it was handing out money." Chen Yi had some trust issues.

"We must provide you with the most cost-effective choice." Quan Cong didn't care what the God of Humility and Modesty was; he just treated it as if he believed in it too, then spoke from the customer's perspective: "Look, money isn't actually what everyone needs most. For instance, if there's one yuan on the pedestrian street, will everyone pick it up? Not necessarily. What about ten cents? One cent, definitely no one would pick it up. So even if handing out money has an effect, its cost is too high, not a cost-effective choice."

"Giving up a seat has high cost-effectiveness?"

"What everyone needs most is the behavior that best demonstrates your humility. On a crowded bus, a seat is what everyone needs most, more than money and time." Quan Cong pointed at himself: "You might not imagine, in our surveys, how many people are willing to pay two or three times, even ten times or more the price to get a seat. A taxi's function isn't just raising the price; it also guarantees a seat. Also, if you observe at the station, many people will wait for two or three more buses just for a seat. Trains are even more obvious — everyone can't buy hard sleepers now, right? And... people who don't have a seat after boarding want one more than people who didn't have a seat before boarding."

Chen Yi thought about it, felt this move might not yield the most divine power, but it was a good way to prove Quan Cong's theory, so he boarded the bus as instructed.

Route 375 dispatches buses one by one to pick up passengers; the rest wait in the depot. Quan Cong had long arranged people to enter through a side door, board the empty bus first, then asked the driver to depart.

"Once on board, don't wait for the station — give up your seat immediately. Then at the second stop, we get off." Quan Cong said with mock seriousness: "After we get off, a car will take us straight back to the depot, then we do it again."

"Buses run on a timetable, right?" Chen Yi had taken the subway to school before the New Year. Back then Grandpa had retired, the whole family had to keep their tails tucked, and he'd seen what buses were like.

Quan Cong finally felt a bit smug, laughing: "I told you, we run on our timetable."

He worked at a consulting firm in Jiangning, knew the city's government units inside out. In China, running a consulting firm isn't like foreigners — just knowing math and markets is useless; the key is connections, how many experts you know who can sign off reports, how many bureau directors you've gifted — those are the real credentials. Quan Cong had been a consultant for nearly ten years; fixing a bus fleet was trivial, not to mention the company backing him.

As they spoke, the people waiting at the station all boarded.

Those who got seats let out long breaths, ready to enjoy the journey's bumps; those who didn't suffered, especially those boarding last — couldn't even find a spot to wedge a foot, only ready to endure the journey's torture.

Chen Yi's eyes brightened. Before the bus had gone far, he stood up and said, "Auntie, you sit here."

Quan Cong silently stood up too.

"Young man, thank you." The auntie next to him immediately sat down, praising him: "Not many young people willing to give up seats these days."

Chen Yi's face burned, he laughed heartily squeezing toward the door, followed by a scorching heat in his chest.

The faith of humility and modesty rose — truly not easy.

Arrived at stop, bus halted.

Sure enough, a brand-new Japanese car waited below. Quan Cong "hehe" laughed twice: "It's our boss's own car."

"Hard work." Chen Yi watched the bus leave behind him, then got into the sedan.

The driver didn't say a word, whipped a U-turn with a drift, and in just three minutes returned to Route 375's depot.

"Did it work?" Off the bus, Quan Cong asked uncertainly. What do modern intellectuals fear most? Religious extremists. In his view, Chen Yi might not be extreme, but a religious believer for sure.

However, a noble, wealthy religious believer can be royalty too. In Quan Cong's eyes, playing along, humoring him, acting in a movie — none mattered; his own meteoric rise was the main thing.

Chen Yi savored the earlier feeling, said: "If daily humility's heat is 1, giving up a seat is about 3."

"3 times, not bad, not bad." Quan Cong grinned foolishly. He couldn't figure out how Chen Yi rated it at all. But having a rating was better than none; it proved his level.

As they talked, they boarded another empty bus. Quan Cong greeted the driver, who didn't care if it was departure time — foot down and off they went.

Needless to say, turning into the station area, below was again packed solid with people — had to board until no room to wedge a foot. Fortunately Chen Yi sat by the rear door; with difficulty he found an old man to give up his seat, took half the ride's effort to get off.

Quan Cong asked nervously: "How was it?"

Chen Yi touched his chest, said: "This time less than 3 times."

"Old man not as easy as the auntie." Quan Cong laughed foolishly, finding a reason, then said: "Continue?"

"Continue. This time ride two more stops."

So they rode three stops, gave up seats; the aunties with legs numb from standing indeed gave top-tier ratings.

Chen Yi smiled satisfied, said: "4 times."

This was already his normal full day's gain. However, if he acted immodest once, half a month's modesty would be wasted.

Quan Cong didn't care about all that; as long as Chen Yi was satisfied.

The two thus began their day-and-night bus journey, stopping only after 9 PM when the buses emptied.

Emerging from the bus station under stars and moon, Quan Cong looked at Chen Yi expectantly, asked: "Continue tomorrow?"

"Try other methods; after this it's only 2 times."

Chen Yi was actually satisfied; whatever the case, today's single-day gain exceeded what he'd normally get in one or two months. Now one "Bestowal" would need at most 14% blood volume.

Quan Cong didn't mind, twisted his short fat waist, laughed: "I'll go back and think carefully; tomorrow we use a new method."

"Good."

The next day.

Quan Cong arranged to meet Chen Yi at the Jiangnan Pedestrian Street parking lot. This place is Jiangning's most bustling spot; daily the women coming and going are like crucian carp crossing the river — often white crucian carp when they enter in the morning, turning into red crucian carp, blue crucian carp, colorful crucian carp by evening...

Quan Cong pointed at the rows of mid-to-low-end Japanese and European cars ahead, cradling a basket full of keys, said: "Mr. Chen, these are all cars the company provided; keys are all in the basket. We wait a bit more, it'll be the peak hour for shoppers. Then you'll see — the whole parking lot, all our cars."

"Really?" Chen Yi casually took out an electronic key, pressed it, and sure enough a Citroën beeped "didi-didi."

"All of them here are?"

"Of course, the parking lot's booked." Quan Cong found it amusing, corner of his mouth hooked up like a squat winter melon cracking open, said: "In a bit, when a car comes in, the attendant ahead will notify you. Then you drive the car out halfway, pretend you're about to park. After he circles around and comes out, you hand it over — just say 'I'm just stopping temporarily, giving it to someone who needs it more' or something. That's yielding, isn't it."

"Can't lie." Chen Yi waved his hand, said: "Method works; I'll handle it."

Before long it passed 11 AM. People coming to shop on the pedestrian street hid away. Anyone driving had to find parking. Those who chose this lot — that was just bad luck.

Upon entry, the attendant didn't speak, instead messaged Quan Cong. Parking spaces were definitely gone; only saw one car find a spot, about to enter.

Right then, Chen Yi suddenly leaned out and asked: "Can't find a parking space?"

"Yeah." The car owner said helplessly: "Came this early and still no spot."

"No problem, I'll give it to you. Wasn't planning to park long anyway." Chen Yi wasn't lying; he truly wasn't planning to park long.

The car owner was overwhelmed with gratitude, mouth saying: "Truly thank you. Helped a huge favor."

"Polite, polite." Chen Yi patted his chest and drove off—it was only three times the calories; a rich person's thanks just wasn't enough.

The car parked outside will naturally be taken away; when someone comes in later, we'll use another spot.

Quan Cong ran over laughing heartily, ready to accept praise, but Chen Yi glared at him and said: "This trick won't work, only three times."

"Ah? That... when parking spaces are crowded at noon and other parking lots are full, letting them park then would seem more humble."

"Try it. But you also need to think of other methods; the parking speed is too slow..." As he spoke, another car drove in.

Quan Cong was in tears; was there really a difference?

Playing games with religious fanatics really isn't any easier than being a human bomb.

Chen Yi went off proudly to play the game of yielding parking spaces, thinking while driving: Could one do the same at a restaurant?

A couple's thanks would surely be more sincere, right?

At least more sincere than a rich person's!

Chen Yi glared angrily at the guy backing in; it was only two times the humility heat, so I might as well go home and bow.

After being a parking attendant for half a day, Chen Yi kept thinking about this principle, so he came out to tell Quan Cong, who naturally didn't oppose it, but said: "Then we must attack on two fronts; first you must show your strength, then find a suitable opportunity to show humility and modesty."

"Grandpa's eighty-fifth birthday." Chen Yi hehe'd and raised his thumb, saying: "If we invite guests then, at least several thousand people, tens of thousands would be no problem. That's showing strength, but it's hard. Do you have a method?"

Quan Cong said somewhat hesitantly: "How about you first show off your Flying Yang Cross Hu? Then bow at the entrance; such a strong contrast, people will surely say you are a modest person."

"That won't do; you must first lose humility and modesty." Chen Yi shook his head hard; the faith-breaking god was not a fair god, and deductions came in hundreds of times.

Quan Cong hehe'd and said: "Haven't we proven that humility and modesty only work in directly related situations? As long as the legend says you're Flying Yang Cross Hu, that's enough."

"Is that so. Then we need to think carefully."

... (Unfinished. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian. com) to vote recommendation tickets and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)