You didn't accept my confession, why are you crying because I changed my mind? - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Street Ancestor

At this point, the people behind them began to show disappointed expressions.

Even the experienced senior couldn’t manage to do it.

How could they possibly earn those credits?

But for the sake of pride, Senior Qian was still trying.

First, he played the student card.

When that didn’t work, he tried the emotional card.

No matter what, he had to win over this fried chicken shop.

After all, the junior girl was watching from behind!

“Big bro…”

“Scram.”

“Please just sign it.”

“Bring money!”

While Senior Qian kept trying to persuade the owner with sweet talk, Jiang Zhou took another look at the agreement.

This was the way of the world.

There were rules, sure, but actual practice was something else.

Wasn’t it the same in his past life?

Everyone knew that takeout wasn’t healthy or clean, but what could they do?

Restaurant owners had to cut costs to feed their families.

Customers wanted to save time so they could keep working.

Things were never purely black or white.

However, this agreement gave Jiang Zhou an idea.

What’s the most important thing in the food industry?

Food safety, of course.

He planned to build a food delivery platform, and this was a crucial point.

He definitely didn’t want to be responsible for any food poisoning scandals.

So, he would need this food safety agreement too.

Meanwhile, Senior Qian finally gave up.

His lips were practically worn out from talking, and the owner still refused.

If he kept going, he’d have to kneel and that’d be even more humiliating.

“Junior Yuwei, this was really just bad luck!

“This shop owner isn’t too bright. No one could’ve persuaded him. Let’s move to the next one.”

Chu Yuwei turned to Jiang Zhou. “Daddy, I need those credits…”

Jiang Zhou gave her a look. “You really know how to push my buttons. Calling me daddy now?”

“Daddy. Super awesome daddy!”

“Shut up. I’ll give it a shot.”

Hearing this, Senior Qian chuckled.

Even he, with all his experience, couldn’t get it done.

What could a kid fresh out of high school possibly do?

Trying to show off in front of a girl, how foolish.

“Stop pretending. Don’t waste our time.”

Jiang Zhou glanced at the senior, ignored him, and walked straight into the fried chicken shop.

The owner, Da Qiang, still frying up a chicken cutlet, thought that annoying guy was back again.

He picked up a slotted spoon, ready to lash out.

“Da Qiang, wait, it’s me!”

Hearing the voice, Da Qiang froze. “Brother Xiao Jiang, what brings you here?”

Thanks to the presence of ganfanren.com, all the merchants on this street already knew Jiang Zhou.

He really did bring them customer traffic, and more customers meant more money.

So, they respected Jiang Zhou quite a bit.

“Help me out. Just sign this, it’s part of their assignment.”

Da Qiang looked troubled. “Brother Xiao Jiang, switching oil every time we fry chicken? That’s insane!”

Jiang Zhou patted him on the shoulder. “Just sign it. You don’t actually have to follow it for now.”

“For now?”

“Once my platform gets off the ground and you get more customers, then we improve things.”

The moment Da Qiang heard “more customers,” his eyes lit up. “Then can you pin my featured article to the top?”

Jiang Zhou thought for a second. “I’ll pin it for half a day.”

“Deal!”

Without hesitation, Da Qiang signed the paper.

Jiang Zhou took the agreement and turned to Chu Yuwei. “I’ll go make a copy and give it to you later.”

Chu Yuwei nodded, smiling. “You’ll deliver it personally?”

“Yeah, I’ll bring it to you.”

“Then take it. I’m not in a hurry to submit it.”

Meanwhile, all the students behind them were looking at Senior Qian.

Their senior had just begged so desperately… and failed.

But this guy? He barely said anything and succeeded?

Senior Qian felt a bit humiliated, but mostly confused.

These merchants were never this easy to talk to.

Otherwise, why had he just been pleading like his life depended on it?

Then he suddenly had a thought.

“This guy, he must be related to the owner, right?!

“No wonder the guy signed. That doesn’t count!”

Jiang Zhou ignored him and looked at Chu Yuwei. “Come on, I’ll help you get the rest signed too.”

Chu Yuwei was overjoyed. “Daddy, you’re too good to me!”

“I need this agreement too. Don’t get too excited.”

“Oh…”

Of course, no one believed that excuse.

If he could get one shop to sign, maybe another would too?

So everyone followed him to the next shop.

Two hours later, no one said a word. Because every merchant had signed.

Some even gave him watermelon and grilled sausage.

A young woman who sold rice noodles even pinched his butt.

When they asked for signatures, it was like begging their ancestors.

But when Jiang Zhou asked, it was like he was their ancestor.

Was the whole street his extended family?

This time, Senior Qian had nothing to say.

He had never seen a social practice exercise go like this.

He’d rather believe he’d just witnessed a miracle.

“You’re all freshmen from Qingbei University, right?” After getting all the signatures, Jiang Zhou finally turned to address the students.

Everyone nodded, their eyes dazed.

They had no idea what he was about to say.

“Doing more social practice is a good thing.

“It helps you develop a sense of social responsibility and teaches you how hard it is to make money.

“What the school arranged isn’t wrong. They’re not trying to make things hard for you.

“But…”

Jiang Zhou swept his gaze across their young, inexperienced faces.

“Social practice shouldn’t ignore social reality. The real world is nothing like what you imagine.

“Experts say oil can’t be reused, so we create food safety regulations.

“But for someone with elderly parents and kids to raise, how can they afford to follow those rules?

“You’re all Qingbei students. You’ll achieve great things someday.

“I hope one day you’ll have the power to truly change this world, to break poverty at the root.

“To make sure anyone, no matter their background, can eat and eat safely.

“That’s all. I’m off.”

Jiang Zhou tucked the food safety agreement into his bag and walked off the food street.

That last part was spoken from the heart.

These days, it’s hard for small business owners to survive. (Not counting those greedy, shady ones.)

Advocating safety was right, but they couldn’t paint everyone with the same brush.

Because there’s only one real disease in this world: poverty.

“Was that guy… really a freshman?”

“Why does it feel like if you ignore his face, he’s old enough to be my dad?”

At that moment, all the students from Qingbei University were stunned.

Because in that final moment,

Jiang Zhou’s silhouette became unbelievably tall in their eyes.

This was what a true senior should be like.